reared) has been mated this season to a Turtle-Dove, but as yet the eggs have proved infertile. According to Count Salvadori ('Cat. of Birds,' xxi. p. 414), T. risorius is a domestic race of uncertain origin. It is not, however, probable that there is anything "composite" about its pedigree. Long domesticity would seem to have developed some tendency to hybridity when opportunity offers. Some instances are noted (loc. cit.) with the Passenger Pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius), and with the male Fantail Pigeon, a whole series of specimens being obtained in the latter instance. Mr. Blagg has recorded (Zool. 1891, p. 113) a cross with T. communis, and Mr. W. Williams has also described a similar case (Zool. 1894, p. 64).
Domestic Pigeon × Columba œnas.—Several years ago my friend Mr. James Blacklock, of Southwick, in my own neighbourhood, obtained eggs of the Stock-Dove from the ivy-covered sea-cliffs near his place, and had them hatched under Common Pigeons. The young Stock-Doves were reared successfully, and last year paired with Pigeons. Eggs were laid and successfully hatched, but all the hybrid young produced in successive broods have invariably died when a few days old. This present season the same thing has happened, and no hybrids have lived more than a week or so. I applied in the columns of a fanciers' paper to see if any Pigeon rearer could suggest a remedy, but so far none has been suggested to obviate this aggravating result.—Robert Service (Maxwelltown, Dumfries).
PISCES.
The Pike and its Prey.— The voracity and cannibalism of this "freshwater Shark" is so well known as to need no comment here, and the fact of my present note may be superfluous for the readers of 'The Zoologist'; but until recently I had an idea, from my own small experience in the matter, and information from various anglers, that the Pike invariably swallowed its finny prey head foremost; if so, I have an exception which proves the rule. At the end of January a friend of mine caught a female Pike weighing 18 lb., and, on opening it, a fish of the same species was found in the stomach, weighing originally, I should suppose, from eight to ten ounces; but the flesh of the tail portion of the body was partly digested, as it had been swallowed tail first, which I supposed was somewhat remarkable, as in my limited experience I had not met with a fish in a like position in stomach of either bird or fish, and I have dissected some numbers for the sake of ascertaining their usual food. I can well understand that a comparatively small fish once within the grip of such a tooth-arrayed and ponderous jawed monster had a very remote chance of escape, whether taken head or tail first; and I had been led to believe that if a fish was taken crosswise it was worked in the jaws of its captor until the head of the victim pointed throat-ward. Of course it is well known that the murderous pointed hooks are directed towards the head of the "bait," which seem to upset the theory of head first.—G.B. Corbin (Ringwood, Hants).
