The Zoologist/3rd series, vol 1 (1877)/Issue 7/Occasional Notes
OCCASIONAL NOTES.
The Natural History of Donegal.—I am indebted to a friend for a copy of 'The Zoologist' for May, in which I see that some of your correspondents are much exercised in spirit over a paper of mine. It could only be a short abstract of my paper you printed, for the whole communication would altogether occupy about a dozen pages of your monthly issue. Not being able at the time to refer to authorities on British Mammals, I gave the local names for the animals. I saw the Squirrel, Sciurus vulgaris, twice in Drumonaghan Wood in 1875. Whether it was introduced into this county, as in the case of County Longford, I do not know, but if I can find out anything to that effect I will communicate it to you. We have the Stoat, Mustela erminea, but we have also a smaller member of the same genus, lighter in colour, and with no black tuft at the end of the tail. I expect to be able to send you a specimen of the latter very soon, that you may determine the species. Our "ferret" is the Pine Marten, Martes abietum. This animal has been seen and followed up with dogs at the Rouken and the Cairn, near to this village, but taking refuge in trees was not captured. Mr. Stewart says they take possession of the old nests of Magpies. He informs me that he saw a pair of Badgers in the Gap of Barnes, a rocky pass ten miles from this, and one at Lough Talt. The Pipistrelle, Vespertilio pipistrellus, is the only Bat I have seen hereabouts. I have seen one flit about church on Sunday, and it proved more successful in securing the attention of the people than the eloquent divine in the pulpit. With regard to birds, Ardea cinerea is always spoken of as the "Crane." Both Anser torquatus and A. leucopsis are known as Bernicle Geese, although the name belongs properly to the latter. As far as my observation goes, both species occur in about equal numbers on Lough Swilly. The owl mentioned as the Tawny Owl agreed best with the description of that species as given in such books as I had at hand. It was not the Long-eared Owl. The Thrush, singing in the gloaming and on "till night's dark mantle has covered all," has probably earned for it here the honourable title of the "Irish Nightingale." I myself saw fully-developed specimens of Echinus sphæra frequently on the fronds of Laminaria digitata while looking over a boat's side in calm water. I have no information as to "the difficulty" they may have experienced in "prowling over the fronds," but there they were. I presume I am not to be held responsible for the typographical errors in the spelling of Chylocladiæ and Echinus.—James A. Mahoney (Ramilton).
[We alone are to blame for the typographical errors referred to, and which escaped us when revising the proof of the article in question. We shall be very glad to receive a specimen of the "smaller member of the Stoat genus," which from the description we cannot doubt will prove to be a Weasel. Notwithstanding the generally accepted opinion of Thompson that the Weasel is not found in Ireland (see p. 224), we have evidence to the contrary in the following note from a very accurate observer.—Ed.]
Occurrence of the Weasel in Ireland.—Observing by your editorial note, at p. 224, that there is some doubt whether the Weasel is found in Ireland, I write to say that on the 5th November last, when visiting a friend in the County of Mayo, I saw a Weasel one afternoon hunting about a stone wall at Currawn, near Achill Sound, and as I watched it for some time at the distance of only a few yards, I could not possibly have been mistaken as to the species. I know both the Stoat and Weasel too well to mistake the one for the other, and had I been aware at the time of the existence of any doubt on the subject, I could easily have shot and forwarded the specimen.—William Borrer (Cowfold, Horsham).
Marten-cat in England and Wales.—It is perhaps worth noticing that the Marten-cat is still plentiful in the wilder parts of Cumberland and the immediately adjoining portions of Lancashire and Westmoreland. Owing to the destruction wrought by the Marten-cat amongst the lambs, all available means are employed to exterminate the race, and, in addition to traps and guns, many of the farmers in the Lake District employ fox-hounds, with which these animals as well as foxes are hunted at all seasons of the year. In this way I should estimate that from twelve to twenty "Marts" are killed annually in this neighbourhood; but, owing to the inaccessible spots in which their strongholds are situated, there does not seem to be much fear of their being exterminated just at present. The species is also common in North Wales.—W. Arthur Durnford (Barrow-in Furness).
Marten-cat in Scotland.—With regard to the distribution of the Marten-cat in Great Britain, I cannot say anything as to its haunts in England, but from what I have seen and heard in Scotland I believe it to be more numerous than is generally supposed. From my own experience I know that, were I to live much in certain parts of the Highlands, I should soon cease to regard either the Marten-cat or wild Cat as a prize. The latter is, of course, much more numerous than the former, and an occasional visit to the shop of Mr. McLeay, of Inverness (the well-known animal preserver), will soon convince one that it is positively common. Referring to the notes of my last trip to Inverness-shire and Ross-shire in 1871, I saw at the house of the keeper at Eilean-reach, near Glenelg, the skins of two Wild Cats and one Marten-cat, in addition to other "vermin." They had, of course, been killed upon the "shootings" of Eilean-reach. At Loch Hourn-head, not far from the above, I saw at the house of the head keeper, Angus Gillies, three Marten-cats' skins, also killed on his ground. During my stay at Shiel House, at the head of Loch Duich, I was assured that a former keeper (McDonald), whom I know, had trapped several Marten-cats in a wooded gully close to the Inn at Shiel House. The date of these captures I do not know: it must be many years ago. All the localities I have named are close to each other, and I believe that if wanted and looked after, many Marten-cats would still be found in that part of Inverness-shire which I visited in 1871. It is true we seldom see the Marten-cat in the shops of our bird and animal preservers in Scotland (Mr. McLeay's perhaps excepted). The reason is that when trapped it is soon flayed for the value of the skin, and never seen, possibly, by any one who would think it worth while to record its capture.—Edward Hargitt (10, Alexander Square, Brompton, S.W.).
Marten-cat in Scotland and Ireland.—When in Sutherland, in May, 1876, one of the keepers in Reay Forest told me he had, I think, fifteen Marten skins awaiting the visit of the furrier's traveller. Lord Kenmare's keeper at Killarney, last April, spoke of trapping them in that district as no uncommon thing, and mentioned 7s. 6d. as the usual price he got for his skins; in Sutherland I was told either 15s. or 20s. was the figure. In neither place did I see animals or skins. Wild Cats and Otters are frequently trapped in Reay.—H.M. Wallis (Reading).
Black Variety of the Brown Rat.—An adult female and two young of this variety of the Brown Rat, Mus decumanus, were taken early in May near Rottingdean, in this county. The fur is softer and the colour of a bluer black than that of the true Black Rat, Mus rattus; and it is also readily distinguished from that animal by the shortness and roundness of the ears and comparative shortness of the tail. I do not know that it has been previously observed, but I see that, in swimming, Mus decumanus uses its tail, not in the manner of a man sculling a boat from the stern, but with a horizontal snake-like motion.—Wm. Borrer (Cowfold, Horsham).
Purple Gallinule in Somersetshire.— The Somersetshire Purple Gallinule seems to raise rather an interesting question—namely, what amount of evidence should be required to admit a bird confessedly killed in an apparently wild state within the British Islands to a place in our list of birds as a bonâ fide wanderer. I quite agree to one of the remarks made by Mr. Mathew in the June number of 'The Zoologist' (p. 252), that "it is well nigh impossible to lay down any hard and fast rule;" each case must be decided on its own merits. But Mr. Mathew immediately after seems to suggest, in spite of the difficulty of doing so, that we should draw a hard and fast hue line at "a Parrakeet, a Whidah Bird, or a Canary in its yellow plumage." If this is to be done, and we are to admit everything else merely on evidence of its having been found in an apparently wild state, and with no signs of having been in confinement about it, we should—in these days when the taste for keeping birds in confinement is so prevalent—have to increase the British list indefinitely. There are, besides the mere signs of captivity, many things which we ought to consider before admitting a supposed wanderer into the British list. For instance, the habitat, whether near to these islands or distant—if distant, had the bird been found at any intermediate places; how separated, by land or water, whether confined to a small spot or extending over a considerable geographical area; the habits and capabilities of the bird—whether of a wandering nature and possessed of considerable powers of flight—whether migratory, and if so, within what limits—whether, either at its breeding stations or on the journey to or fro it is likely to fall in with flocks of birds bound to these Islands with which it might associate—what the line of migration might be, whether along a coastline from which, if blown by a gale or wandering in foggy weather, it would probably reach these shores as the first land. Food also may be taken into consideration, as there are some birds which, from the nature of their food as well as from their habits, it is quite impossible to keep in confinement, and therefore they could not be brought to these Islands from any distance by the help of man; others, however, are very easily tamed and fed, consequently may easily be brought any distance with very little care and attention, and would show little or no signs of confinement on their arrival here. On the ground of food alone, there are many birds which we should be disposed at once to admit as bonâ fide wanderers, on satistactory evidence of their having been found here in an apparently wild state. Such, for instance, would be the Alpine Swift, Bonaparte's Sandpiper, and the American Little Stint. As an illustration of some of the foregoing remarks, we may take the case of White's Thrush, for though its proper home is far distant it is a bird of wandering habits, considerable powers of flight, is migratory within certain limits, and has been taken in several intermediate localities. Prof. Newton, I think, has enumerated about twenty captures on the continent of Europe, and it has been taken several times in England. Under these circumstances, I think, on sufficient evidence of the bird having been taken in an apparently wild state, and with no traces of confinement about it, we should be disposed to admit it; but should a supposed British-killed White's Thrush turn out on examination to be the allied Turdus lunulatus of Australia, I think, though the evidence as to the capture might be the same, we should he disposed to reject its claims to be British, on the ground of its still more distant habitat and the greater difficulties which would have to be encountered during the flight, its not having been taken in intermediate places (I believe it has not occurred even in India); moreover, there is only one extremely doubtful occurrence in England—in fact, so doubtful that it is not worth consideration. Numbers alone might be some guide, as in the case of the Sand Grouse, where the birds arrived in such numbers as to preclude the possibility of their all being escapes; some stragglers, however, were taken along the line of route, but in spite of that, had only a few appeared here, we should have been much more sceptical about them as their habitat is distant, and they are not much given to such erratic proceedings, and they can be, and sometimes are, kept in confinement. As to signs of captivity, where such are apparent I should consider them conclusive evidence of the bird being an escape; but where no such signs are apparent I should not at all consider their absence as conclusive evidence of such an event not having happened. Birds are now so well kept, and indeed occasionally allowed such perfect liberty, that no signs of captivity appear about them when they take it into their heads to wander, and, as unfortunately too often happens, are shot and recorded as British specimens. This is very much the case with ducks and other wild fowl. Many Canada Geese were shot about here the winter before last, and not one of those that I saw bore the slightest sign of having escaped from confinement, yet in all probability they were escapes; at least, for my own part I always feel very sceptical about Canada Geese, though the numbers that were then shot rather shook my scepticism. A few Egyptian Geese were also shot at the same time; these probably have a better standing ground than the Canada Geese, but still it is impossible to say that any particular individual which may be obtained is not an escape. To show how soon escapes are made into bonâ fide rare specimens, I may give an instance of my own, which is only one among several. This last spring I lost a Scaup Duck from my pond; three days afterwards I saw the skin at the Taunton Museum, just in time to stop a note to the local papers—and perhaps to 'The Zoologist' also—on the appearance of the Scaup Duck so far inland. As to advertising, as suggested by Mr. Mathew, it only adds to the expense, and the only satisfaction likely to be obtained is the production of the mutilated remains of the missing bird. But to return to the Somersetshire Purple Gallinule, it is a bird which I think we ought to be very careful how we admit to a place in the British list, for its habitat, though not sufficiently distant perhaps to render its reaching these shores without the aid of man impossible, is sufficiently so to make it very improbable, especially when we take into consideration the habits and nature of the bird, and also the fact that it is easily and not unfrequently kept in confinement, both in public and private grounds. It may frequently be seen in Leadenhall Market, at Mr. Jamrach's, and such places; moreover, very few occurrences have been recorded, and some of these may be referred to Porphyria smaragdonotus, a bird still less likely to have wandered here of its own accord. The original notice in 'Science Gossip,' which was written rather more than a year before Mr. Mathews note in 'The Zoologist,' and which I will now quote, seems to point to this bird having escaped, and makes no mention of a second bird having been seen but not taken. It will be found at p. 41 of the volume for 1876, and is as follows:—"On the 25th of August last a fine specimen of the Hyacinthine Gallinule, Porphyrio veterum, was taken in this neighbourhood (Badgworth). It was found in one of our 'rheins,' or running ditches, unable to fly, having apparently been shot at. By the help of a dog it was chased to a hedge and there captured. It pecked savagely at the faces of all who came near it, and one boy, whose curiosity got the better of his caution, received a blow which pierced the lip and wounded the gum. In fact, its bill when wielded with such hearty good—I should rather say ill—will was a formidable weapon. The blue on the neck, breast and belly of the bird is of a very lovely hue. I shall be glad if any of your readers could inform me whether the bird is often found in this country. I have never seen one before. Its wings do not seem well adapted for long flights, and it may have escaped from some private collection. After a day or two's captivity it was killed and stuffed, and is now in the possession of its captors." To this I replied in a subsequent number, giving some little account of the bird and quoting Mr. Harting's very useful 'Handbook of British Birds' as to the number of occurrences, and his opinion that these had "doubtless escaped from some ornamental water," an opinion in which I thoroughly agree, and think we may well include the present specimen in the same category.—Cecil Smith (Bishop's Lydeard, Taunton).
Purple Gallinules in England.— When enumerating the recorded instances of the capture of some species of Porphyria in this country (p. 227), we accidentally omitted to note the capture of one at Redbridge, near Southampton, in February, 1864, as reported by Mr. Henry Reeks in 'The Zoologist' for 1866, p. 229.—Ed.
Divers on Fresh Water.—Divers, both Black-throated and Red-throated, are far from uncommon in Scotland, their general range in the breeding season being sufficiently accurately defined for present purposes as "in the north and west." But they are not, I think, so plentiful as to be considered inhabitants of all or nearly all the larger lochs in these parts of the country (p. 258). Nor is it the case that Divers of either species always prefer the larger lochs for breeding purposes. Even the Black-throated species will be found quite as frequently breeding upon smaller lakes, provided there be a suitable green and grassy shelving island upon it. Sometimes, it is true, they will choose a large loch to breed upon, but their reason for doing so is not, I think, so much for its size as on account of the green, shelving island, upon the edge or rim of which they can make their nest close to the water. Where green and grassy islands do not occur, the general rule holds that upon such lochs no Divers will be found, although exceptions to the rule occur, and have come under my own observation, so rarely, however, as to be noted as quite exceptional by the native gamekeepers and shepherds. Again, two pairs of Divers nesting on one loch is the exception, although it is well known that they sometimes do so. Lastly, Red-throated Divers, according to my experience, rarely, if ever, breed upon the larger lochs, but prefer the quiet, moorland, marshy-edged tarns and "lochans," often nesting on the shores, and frequenting the larger lochs only in quest of food. Although also found in the West, their distribution would perhaps be more accurately described as northerly and north-easterly on the mainland—rarer in the West, and insular. See my notes on these two species in my "Birds found Nesting in Sutherland" (Proc. Glasg. Nat. Hist. Soc. 1875, pp. 122–124). I may take this opportunity of stating that Divers, and several other of our rarer British breeding species, are still holding their ground well here, being carefully preserved from ruthless and general persecution; whilst some others, especially certain Raptorial birds, as Merlins, Harriers and Buzzards, are decidedly scarcer than they were eight or nine years ago. Others, again of the migratory species, notably the House Martin, are rarer, and have almost deserted the west of the county, whilst a few others, such as the Starling and Song Thrush, have appeared of late years at localities where they were not previously known, and the Chaffinch has become almost common in one locality where it was quite rare before. I hope, at some future opportunity, to put together a few notes on the changes observable in the Avi-fauna of Sutherland during the past eight or ten years. Meanwhile the above rough notes may be acceptable to British ornithologists.—John A. Harvie Brown (Dunipace House, Larbert, N.B.).
Occurrence of the Little Owl in Sussex.—In 'The Zoologist' for May, at page 228, I recorded the capture of a Little Owl near Shoreham on the 15th March last. On the 21st of the following month another was seen to fly into an old building at Newtimber, in the same county, and being taken alive was sent to Pratt, at Brighton, from whom I obtained it. For some weeks before its capture it had been both seen and heard in the neighbourhood of Newtimber. Mr. Percy Godman, of Shermanbury, informed me that about six weeks previously he saw a Little Owl in a chalk-pit near that place, whilst waiting during a "check" in a run with the South Down Fox-hounds. In all probability it was the same bird. Since it came into my possession, however, I have received information which has considerably marred the pleasure I should otherwise have felt in recording the occurrence of this rare species in Sussex. It seems that in November last two pairs of the Little Owl, which had been in confinement at Knepp Castle, in the parish of Shipley, in this county, were given their liberty. Two were subsequently found dead; the other two, after about a month or six weeks, were not seen again. It is not unlikely, therefore, that these may have been the two specimens which I obtained four and five months afterwards.—William Borrer (Cowfold, Horsham).
A Barn Owl in the City.—A Barn Owl was sitting perched in one of the trees in the churchyard of St. Dunstan's-in-the East, in the city of London, during the 7th, 8th, and 9th of June. These trees are the favourite resort of many hundreds of sparrows, which congregate there every evening to chatter and gossip for an hour or so before they retire to rest. Henry Tuke Mennell (St. Dunstan's Buildings, City).
Pied Flycatcher near Salisbury.—A male bird of this species was seen by Mr. G.A. Tyndale Powell, of Hurdcott House, near here, on Sunday, April 29th. He saw it as he was walking back from church in the morning, and got within six yards of it, so that he could not be mistaken. A second specimen was killed at Herriard, near Basingstoke, in May. This was also a male bird, rather lighter than usual on the back perhaps, and is now in my possession.—Arthur P. Morres (Britford Vicarage, Salisbury).
Pied Flycatcher Nesting in Yorkshire.—On the 22nd May last, as I travelled from Barden Tower to Bolton Abbey, a distance of about four miles, I observed above a dozen male and four female Pied Flycatchers. They were all flying about the River Wharfe, and from their unsettled manner it was evident they had only just arrived. Indeed if this species breeds as early as the various authors state in the ornithological works to which I have access, my observations have been unfortunately dull. A few years ago only one or two pairs bred annually in Wharfedale, and their habitat was confined to the north of Bolton Woods. Of late years, however, it has been greatly on the increase, and has extended its range in a southerly direction. In passing through its new breeding haunts, I could not help fearing lest this species, which has bred unmolested in Upper Wharfedale for a great number of years, should be wantonly destroyed by the numerous persons who frequent the woods in the summer season, as from its confiding habits and the beautiful contrast of the colours of its plumage it cannot fail to attract the attention even of a casual observer.—E.P.P. Butterfield (Wilsden).
Hobby Nesting in Hampshire.—I visited Wolmer Forest on the 12th of June this year, and found that the day before one of the watchers had shot a Hobby off its nest, which was placed at a considerable height from the ground, in a Scotch fir. The nest contained three eggs. The bird shot proved to be the male, and its stomach contained the remains of a small bird, apparently a Meadow Pipit, Anthus pratensis, and some wingcases of beetles. I was sorry to find that this bird had been shot, and hope in future, should another pair take up their residence in the forest, that they will be left unmolested.—H.W. Feilden (Aldershot).
The Lesser Kestrel near Dover.—Mr. E.P. Robinson has lately presented to the Dover Museum a specimen of the Lesser Kestrel, Falco cenchris, which was caught alive and kept for a short time in confinement by a labourer on his farm in the neighbourhood of Dover. The bird, which proved to be an adult male, had one leg injured, which may have prevented it from taking its natural prey and led to its capture. In appearance it differs a great deal from the Common Kestrel. In the first place it has no markings on the back, the colour being one rich reddish brown. The breast is light red, with a few markings, the more distinct ones being on the thigh-coverts; the head and tail light ash-grey, the latter with a broad black band at the extremity, and each feather edged with white except the two centre ones, which are black to the tips. The claws are white.—Charles Gordon (The Museum, Dover, May 22nd).
Variety of the Common Guillemot.—In the North Sea, off the Humber, on the 11th, I observed a pair of Guillemots swimming in company. One was in the ordinary plumage; the other, however, had all those parts normally black-brown, of a light yellowish brown, or rather the colour known to painters as honey-yellow. It was a most peculiar and interesting-looking variety.—John Cordeaux (Great Cotes, Ulceby).
Hoopoe in Yorkshire.—A fine male specimen of the Hoopoe, Upupa epops, has recently been shot at Tockwith, near York, and has been sent to Mr. Ripley, of Feasgate, York, for preservation. From the fact of its being obtained here in June, one might assume that if unmolested it would have bred in the neighbourhood.—J.S. Wesley (Wetherby, Yorkshire).
[We have no doubt whatever that Hoopoes, like other summer migrants, would nest in this country every year, if people could only be persuaded to abstain from shooting them on their arrival.—Ed.]
Singular Variety of the Hedgesparrow.—On the 5th June, near Reigate, I saw a light buff-coloured Hedgesparrow sitting on a nest of young ones. A sharp look-out will be kept to ascertain, if possible, what colour they will grow up. I am told that one of the eggs was abnormally long,—in fact, more than twice as long as any of the others. I have often seen abnormal varieties in size and shape of eggs, but never before connected this with variation in the colour of birds.—J.H. Gurney, Jun. (Northrepps, Norwich).
Hedgesparrow's Nest built in Cabbage.—Towards the end of April a nest of the Hedgesparrow was found by a friend in a very curious position. It was built in a large head of cabbage growing in a kitchen garden near Coolock, in the County Dublin. Since then five eggs have been laid, but, when they were partly hatched, the nest was deserted by the parent birds. It is composed of dry pea-stalks, moss, and part of a dry cabbage-leaf, and is lined with hair.—Alfred E. Shaw (Rathmines School Field Club, Dublin).
Tawny Pipit at Brighton.—On looking over some of my small birds recently, I found a specimen of the Tawny Pipit, Anthus campestris, the capture of which I do not think has been recorded. It was taken near Brighton on the 12th October, 1875, and is a young bird, as evidenced by the light edgings to the feathers.—F. Bond (Fairfield Avenue, Staines).
The Blackcap in County Wicklow.—On the 28th April the Blackcap arrived in this neighbourhood, and a day or two subsequently about a dozen might be counted in our woods. My friend, Mr. A.G. More, having some time since directed my attention to the rarity of this bird in Ireland, I brought a specimen to the Royal Dublin Society. About the middle of May they apparently vanished, but a few soon reappeared, and one is certain to detect or hear one or two when walking through a straggling or leafy wood close at hand. That the Blackcap breeds with us I have little doubt, for my sister saw the old birds feeding the young a day or two ago, and pointed the former out to me afterwards. In my opinion it is a regular summer visitant here, arriving at the end of April or beginning of May, for I have both heard and seen it frequently during previous years about that time as well as later on, though by reason of my ignorance as to the position it occupies in the avi-fauna of Ireland, annual records of its occurrence have not been entered. Thompson mentions it from the Vale of Avoca in this county.—R.M. Barrington (Fassaroe, Bray, County Wicklow).
Jack Snipe in Suffolk in May.—On the 4th of May my brother and I put up a Jack Snipe on the Leiston reed-land. This is the latest stay in spring I have known this bird to make. In the year 1873 I flushed one on the 16th of April.—G.T. Rope (Blaxhall, Suffolk).
Want of Reflection in the House Sparrow.—A little more than a month since a pair of Sparrows selected the frame of a sun-blind at the back of my house as a nesting-place; the front part which is attached to the blind projected a little at one end (being slightly warped); this left an opening by which the birds entered; the nest was begun at the opposite end. Every morning regularly, for over three weeks, the blind was let down the first thing in the morning, and just as regularly the commencement of the nest fell to the ground; the two Sparrows watched from the top of the next house nearly the whole of each day, and the moment the blind was pulled up, down they came and began to replace the rubbish in the same place. I tried burying the nest when it fell, but the only result was that, the birds having farther to go for material, the nest was not quite so far advanced on the succeeding morning. Owing to the excessive rains during the past week the blind was not pulled down as usual for three days, and the birds went on building; the fall of the nest on the fourth day, when the sun reappeared, seems at last to have disheartened them, and they appear to have discontinued their senseless labours. Are we to look upon this case in the light of a lesson on perseverance in the midst of disappointment, or as evidence of singular absence of reflection on the part of the Sparrows? If the former, it is as instructive in its way as the story of Bruce's spider; if the latter, it shows us that Passerine intellect is by no means so much developed as some people have imagined it to be.—Arthur G. Butler (10, Avington Grove, Penge).
Buffon's Skua on the Cornish Coast.—A very nice adult-plumaged bird of this species was sent to Mr. Vingoe for preservation on the 4th June. It had been recently shot near the Lizard—I should think on the morning of the day of its transmission. The middle tail-feathers exceed the lateral ones by just six inches, but the primrose-yellow on the sides of the neck is (as it always has been in specimens under my notice) far paler and less diffused than is represented in illustrations, especially that in 'The Birds of Great Britain.' The colour of the legs is a marked character in this species—the tarsi are slaty blue, thighs and feet jet black, while on the inner side of the tarsus a narrow shoot of black extends upwards an inch from the feet.—Edward Hearle Rodd (Penzance).
Canada Geese near Dunkeld.—Four Canada Geese (A. canadensis) made their appearance on Butterstone Loch in this neighbourhood towards the end of April. They remained on the loch four days, during which time they were in a restless state, constantly flying backwards and forwards uttering their loud trumpeting cry. They did not strike me as being so shy or wary as the other species of Wild Geese, venturing much more boldly near the shores of some small wooded islands than their more cautious relatives would have done; they were, however, wide awake, and very easily disturbed on the slightest sign of danger.—A.B. Brooke (Cardney, Dunkeld).
Young Cuckoo in the Nest of a Song Thrush.—In June last year I came across a nest of a Song Thrush, in which was a young Cuckoo nearly full-fledged. It had apparently been unable to get rid of the young Thrushes which still remained in the nest and were crushed flat against the sides by its growth.—Arthur G. Butler (10, Avington Grove, Penge.
[Instances in which the Song Thrush has been found acting the part of foster-parent to the young Cuckoo, we believe, are rare; and we can only call to mind two authors who have cited cases, Temminck and Des Murs. In the list of foster-parents given by Yarrell the Blackbird is included, but no particulars are furnished.—Ed.]
Notes from Nottinghamshire.—During the past winter there has been quite a dearth of rare birds about here; in fact, I cannot remember a winter in which so few birds out of the common way have come under my notice. About the middle of January last an old male Smew, in very fine plumage, was shot on the Thornton Reservoir, near Leicester, and given to me. On the 27th of the same month, when Partridge "driving" at Park Hall near here, a Great Gray Shrike settled on the top of a hedge in front of me, but was off in a second. I fired, however, and knocked it over. It was in quite a Shrike country—small fields and large hedges of thorn. A female Rough-legged Buzzard was shot at Rufford in March; this is the fourth killed there within the past twelve months. On March 17th I saw the Green Plovers begin for the first time their curious flight which they commence just before the breeding season; they were wheeling about in all directions, uttering all the while their wild note. I heard the first Wood Pigeons cooing, and also saw them soaring on March 23rd. The first Snipe was heard "drumming" on the 8th April. On May 16th I saw several Fieldfares still here.—J. Whitaker (Rainworth Lodge, Mansfield).
Starlings Nesting in Sand Martins' Holes.—I was greatly surprised one day in passing a sand-pit to find that Starlings had taken possession of all the Sand Martin's holes. On coming again a month later most of the birds had young ones. It was very amusing to see the way in which they entered the hole; on getting about 150 yards from the entrance they sailed gracefully into it, giving a few hurried flaps with their wings on gaining the aperture. This year I have also found them nesting in ivy, like Sparrows, which is I believe rather an unusual site. I am of opinion that the Starling is quite as gregarious a bird as his friend the Rook, and that the scarcity of breeding holes alone causes those immense flocks we see in the winter to break up into small companies of two or three pairs in the spring. From a few rough calculations I have made, I find that a pair of Starlings appear to bring food to their young no less than 462 times a day.—C. Matthew Prior (Bedford).
Breeding Season of the Edible Crab.— In 'The Zoologist' for June (page 621), Mr. Cornish appears to take it as an established fact that the Edible Crab, Cancer pagurus, spawns about the month of January. I therefore take this opportunity of stating that in the Yarmouth Aquarium there is a specimen of the Edible Crab, which was trawled up from the deep-sea fishing ground by one of the vessels belonging to this port. It was brought to me on the 27th of February, and was then loaded with spawn, which has not yet been deposited. There can be no doubt that the deeper the water from which a Crab is taken, the later will be its spawning time.—C.P. Ogilvie (Yarmouth Aquarium).
Habits of the Lobster.—Lobsters at their earliest stages swim at the surface of the water. On the 27th May I procured, for the first time this year, several specimens by lowering from the Britannia Pier a muslin net, and allowing it to remain in the tideway for a few minutes. The capture of these little crustaceans is curious here, because the nearest lobster ground of any importance is at Cromer, distant about thirty-five miles off; thus showing what an immense distance the tide will convey ova and young fish. The hauls I have lately made contain lobsters, possum shrimp, sand-eels, flat-fish, &c.—all in very immature condition.—Id.
Introduction of Foreign Land and Fresh-water Mollusca.—With reference to Dr. Tristram's remarks (page 260) respecting the introduction of land and fresh-water shells from abroad, will you allow me to suggest that it might help to solve the problem of the climatic condition of England in the time of palæolithic man, if some one would introduce to British rivers, from the Nile, the Corbicula (Cyrena) fluminalis in sufficient numbers to give it a fair chance of becoming acclimatised. Paludina marginata and Unio littoralis might be more easily brought from France, and as many of your readers well know, they were associated with the Cyrena when our rivers were frequented by the Hippopotamus and their banks by Elephants and Rhinoceros and by palæolithic man. The absence of the above-named mollusks at the present time is sometimes used as an argument in favour of the conclusion that the climate was then warmer than now; but it may be, as others suppose, that they perished in England from the cold of the glacial epoch, and have had no opportunity to re-appear.—Thomas Belt (Cornwall House, Ealing).
The Fauna of the West of Scotland.—At a meeting of the Natural History Society of Glasgow, held on the 24th April last, a report was submitted from the Committee appointed last session to prepare Catalogues of the Fauna of the West of Scotland, and more particularly of the Clyde Valley. The report stated that arrangements had been made with several zoologists who had undertaken the preparation of lists of species in different departments, and that the first part of the Fauna will appear next autumn in the 'Proceedings' of the Society. The Catalogues will be so arranged that when completed they may be detached if desired, to form a separate volume. We have no doubt the Secretary of the Society will be glad to receive any communications from those who may have already collected information on the subject, or who may be interested in the proposed publication.