The Zoologist/4th series, vol 2 (1898)/Issue 683/Editorial Gleanings
EDITORIAL GLEANINGS.
Dr. Henry Woodward, in the 'Geological Magazine' (Decade iv. vol. v. p. 49) has illustrated and described a pair of gigantic antlers of the Great Red Deer (Cervus elaphus, Linn.):—
"In 1891, Frank S. Goodwin, Esq., of Bakewell, Derbyshire, presented to the British Museum (Natural History) a pair of antlers of Red Deer, with fragments of the calvarium attached, which had been obtained, with other cervine remains, from a tufaceous deposit of comparatively modern date near Bakewell, Derbyshire. Owing to the loss of all animal matter the antlers were in a very friable condition, and fell in pieces on being handled, although at some distant time they had been repaired partially with long strips of calico.
"Two causes rendered them of interest: firstly, they were of unusually large size, resembling the great American Wapiti (Cervus canadensis) in stoutness and length of beam; secondly, they proved to have been described in a letter from the Rev. Robert Barber, B.D., to John Jebb, Esq., M.D., F.R.S., which was published in the Phil. Trans. Royal Society for 1785 (vol. lxxv. p. 353).
"Notwithstanding their almost hopeless state of dilapidation they attracted the attention of Sir Edmund Giles Loder, Bart., and Mr. J. G. Millais (the latter of whom examined and made drawings of them about a year ago). An attempt was made to bring the broken antlers together again, and after much time and labour expended by Mr. C. Barlow, the Formatore, they have at length been successfully rehabilitated, and are now exhibited on the top of pier-case No. 16 in the Geological Gallery devoted to fossil Mammalia, where they form, from their size and whiteness, one of the most striking objects in the series of cervine remains.
"The following measurements have been taken since the antlers have been repaired and mounted in the Gallery:—[1]
| Measurement of Antlers of Cervus elaphus from Alport, Youlgreave. | |||
| ft. | in. | ||
| Width at the 'nests' | 3 | 9 | |
| Length of right antler | 4 | 0 | |
| Length„ of„ left antler„ | 3 | 8 | |
| Length„ of„ brow-tine | 0 | 11 | |
| Length„ of„ 2nd -tine„ | 1 | 0 | |
| Length„ of„ 3rd-tine„ | 1 | 1 | |
| Girth of pedicle | 0 | 7½ | |
| Girth„ above the burr | 0 | 9¾ | |
| Girth„ above„ 1st tine | 0 | 9¼ | |
| Girth„ above„ 2nd tine„ | 0 | 6½ | |
| Girth„ above„ 3rd tine„ | 0 | 6¼ | " |
In connection with the 'Geological Magazine,' it is interesting to learn from Dr. Woodward of its considerable longevity. Writing in December, 1894, he was able to announce:—"It is now more than thirty years ago since, with my friend Prof. T. Rupert Jones, F.R.S., we commenced to edit the 'Geological Magazine,' Messrs. Longmans & Co. being our publishers. Out of the long list of distinguished supporters and contributors to the 'Geological Magazine' published in 1864, I rejoice that twenty-four original names still remain after more than thirty years, namely:—The Duke of Argyll, the Earl of Ducie, Sir Archibald Geikie, the Right Hon. Thomas Huxley, Sir John Evans, Prof. Prestwich, Prof. T.G. Bonney, Prof. Wiltshire, Prof. Boyd-Dawkins, Prof. Alphonse Milne-Edwards, Prof. Dr. A. Fritsch, Prof. A. von Koenen, Prof. E. Hull, Prof. H.G. Seeley, Mr. R. Etheridge, Mr. William Carruthers, Mr. William Whitaker, Rev. O. Fisher, Mr. James Carter, Mr. James Powrie, Mr. R.H. Valpy, Mr. G.C. Churchill, Mr. R.F. Tomes, and Mr. E.C.H. Day." This list is unfortunately not quite so complete as when published, but the magazine has lost none of its vitality.
At a meeting of the Linnean Society, held on March 3rd, Mr. W.A. Herdman read a paper by Mr. F.J. Cole, entitled "Observations on the Structure and Morphology of the Cranial Nerves and Lateral Sense-Organs of Fishes, with especial reference to the Genus Gadus." It contained the first description of the lateral-line organs of Gadus, and pit-organs were shown to be present. The author concludes that the lateral-line system of fishes was not originally metameric, and that it has nothing to do with the branchial sense-organs. He regards it and the auditory organs as parts of a system, and their nerves (viz. the superficial ophthalmic, buccal, external mandibular, lateralis, and lateral-line nerves), together with the auditory, as of a series sui generis, and shows that the so-called lateral-line nerve of Petromyzon really belongs to the lateralis accessorius system (ramus lateralis trigemini, auct), the morphology of which he fully describes. The paper dealt exhaustively both with the afore-mentioned and the subsidiary branches of the subject, which was treated in detail and historically, with an accompanying exhaustive bibliography. Prof. Howes, discussing the subject, drew attention to some observations of the cousins Sarasin, and to the experimental work of Sewall, Steiner, Lee, and others upon the auditory apparatus of fishes, which supported the author's conclusions. Referring to the investigations of Coggi, he threw out the suggestion that the secondary extension of the saccus endolymphaticus into the dorso-lateral region of the trunk—since it reaches its maximum in batrachians in which, although the tegumental canal-system is developed and lost, a partially aquatic habit is retained—might perhaps involve the auditory and lateralline apparatus in a correlated substitutional modification for the performance of the static and equilibrative functions, and thus further support the author's views.
At a subsequent meeting of the Linnean Society, held on April 21st, Mr. W.P. Pycraft read a paper "On the Morphology of the Owls: Part I. Pterylography." In this, the first instalment of a series of papers on the affinities and phylogeny of the group, the pterylographic characters were alone considered, with descriptions of adults, nestlings, and embryos. The author remarked that so far as the distribution of the feather-tracts is concerned, the Owls resemble the Accipitres more nearly than any other group. They differ from them and resemble the Caprimulgi in the distribution of the adult and nestling down. The microscopical structure, however, of these down-feathers is accipitrine rather than caprimulgine. The nestling of the Accipitres is clothed by two kinds of down-feathers, for which the names "pre-plumulæ" and "pre-pennæ" were suggested; the nestling Owl and Nightjar are clothed only by down of the latter kind. The form of the external aperture of the ear seems to have been originally subject to variations, the most successful of which have become fixed by selection. In some cases there is a marked asymmetry, which may either be confined to the membranes surrounding the aperture or may extend to the skull itself. The author considered that the facts disclosed by a study of the pterylosis might justify a slight revision and rearrangement of some of the genera.
Mr. Ernest W.L. Holt, at a meeting of the Zoological Society of London, held on April 19th, read a paper on the breeding of the Dragonet (Callionymus lyra) in the Marine Biological Association's Aquarium at Plymouth, and made some remarks on the significance of the sexual dimorphism of this fish, the courtship and pairing of which were described in detail. The female was described as a promiscuous polyandrist, and seemed to exercise no sort of choice, taking the nearest male which appeared to be in a condition to further her object. The males were much more numerous, as well as larger, than the females. The brilliant yellow colour of the mature male was due to an excess of yellow pigment, which diffused into the skin. It had an acrid smell, and was highly irritating to the salivary glands. The blue colour was due to the optical properties of masses of "reflecting tissue" over a background of black chromatophores. Mr. Holt considered that the large fins and bright colours of the male of the Dragonet had been evolved by sexual selection proceeding on the lines of conspicuousness rather than on those of aesthetic charms, since the male seemed to be unable to see the female except at a very short distance, and the converse would no doubt hold good if the male was not conspicuously coloured.
In 'Timehri,' the Journal of the Royal Agricultural and Commercial Society of British Guiana, Mr. J.J. Quelch has published an excellent contribution to our knowledge of "The Boa-Constrictors of British Guiana."
We may quote the following statements as being of general interest to zoologists:—
"In size this Water-Boa seems to exceed all other snakes, and it would appear to be more deserving of the ancient name Anaconda than the eastern forms to which it was first applied. In fact, it may be said that the name is almost limited nowadays to this tropical American species. The length is known to reach 37 ft., but it is said that much larger specimens have been taken. On this point, however, it is hardly safe to express an opinion, since unless definite measurements are made the estimate of size can be of little value. A case in point, which would suggest caution in accepting the great lengths ascribed to certain animals, may be quoted from the writer's experience as regards the large Black Alligator, locally known as Caiman (Alligator niger). The length of this form is given by various travellers in the colony—as, for instance, by both Brown and Schomburgk—as from 20 to 25 ft., Waterton even recording 30 ft.; but there is no statement of actual measurement. In the writer's experience the largest forms of this species, taken in the very districts referred to by the fore-mentioned travellers, hardly exceeded 14 ft., though when seen in the water they appeared to be considerably larger. A similar example may be found in the great Arapaima Fish (Arapaima gigas), which is recorded as from 16 to 18 ft. in length, while in reality they hardly attain to more than half that size. Actual measurement is requisite in all such cases.
"Skins of the Water-Boa of from 18 to 25 ft. in length are frequently obtained, and in the sheltered swamps and along the creeks in the recesses of the forests it may well be that considerably larger animals would be met with. The following experience along the higher Essequibo River tends to support this. In 1894, while passing by a wide outgrowth of closely-matted grass from the swampy bank, the boat disturbed an enormous Snake, of which the head, neck, and part of the body were clearly seen at a distance of certainly not more than five feet. It was noticeable that the head was considerably more than twice as large as that of one of about 20 ft., and this seems to indicate a Snake of very large proportions. The unfortunate part of the matter is that Snakes of very great size are most likely to be seen in places where it is out of the question to secure them, as it happened in this particular case."
In the 'Essex Naturalist' (1897, p. 169), Mr. H.C. Sorby has contributed "Notes on the Food of Oysters in Essex":—"Some years ago I was led to think that very much remained to be discovered with regard to the food of Oysters in different localities. No reliance can of course be placed on the examination of the contents of the stomach after the Oysters have been kept for some hours out of the natural water, since the food would be digested; and the sooner they are examined the better. When lying in the yacht at Paglesham, I had a good opportunity for studying this question, since my friend Mr. James Wiseman gave orders to his men to supply me with Oysters, which were brought to me and the contents of the stomach examined with a microscope only a few minutes after having been taken out of the water; so that some of the diatoms they had eaten were still alive. I found that at Paglesham the chief, if not the entire, food was diatoms. Soon afterwards I had the opportunity of observing Oysters taken out of Brightlingsea Creek, and which were examined as soon as I could, but not so immediately as in the case of those at Paglesham. I was surprised to find that the food of the Brightlingsea Oysters was very different. Diatoms were few in number, or absent; but, on the contrary, the stomachs contained very small animals, which I took to be Infusoria, or small larvæ, not easily identified. At all events, the contrast in these two cases was so great as to readily explain why the growth and flavour of Oysters fed in different waters may be so different."
We have received from the Society for the Protection of Birds a tract entitled 'The Trade in Birds' Feathers,' reprinted from the 'Times.' The first instalment is a letter written to that journal by Mr. W. H. Hudson, from which we extract the following details:—
"Thursday, Dec. 14th, was a purple day at the Commercial Sale Rooms in the City, where feathers for the decoration of our women formed the attraction, and besides some hundreds of boxes of white Ospreys an incredible number of bird-skins of brilliant plumage, collected from all quarters of the world, were disposed of. Birds of modest-coloured plumage were also to be had; and it was surprising to see huge cases filled with Tits and other small species from Japan, a proof that the once artistic and bird-loving people of that distant beautiful country are anxious to be up to date and Western in all things, even to the extermination of their little feathered fellow-creatures. There were also some magnificent Pigeons, the most notable being the Bronze, the Goura, and the Victoria Crowned Pigeon. A curious destiny—to be pulled to pieces and used in the ornamenting of hats—of the last noble Dove, appropriately named after our august and tender-hearted Sovereign, whose love of all things, both great and small, is so well known to her subjects. Conspicuous even among the most splendid species were the Birds of Paradise—upwards of two thousand specimens.
"From the Western world it was interesting to see two such birds as the Rupicola, or Cock-of-the-Rock, and the once sacred Quetzal; the first the most vividly coloured, the second the loveliest, bird on that continent, perhaps on the globe. Both species are known to be excessively rare, and it cannot be hoped that they will long escape a fate which has overtaken other persecuted species of less value commercially.
"Other kinds—Argus and Impeyan Pheasants, Jays, Trogons, Kingfishers, Orioles, Tanagers, innumerable Humming-birds, and many more—need not be spoken of in detail. I will only mention the Parrots, for there were many—125,300 specimens, mostly from India. Spread out in Trafalgar Square, they would have covered a large portion of that space with a gay grass-green carpet, flecked with vivid purple, rose, and scarlet."
The 'Times,' commenting on this communication in a leading article under date of Dec. 25th last, observed:—
"It will be said perhaps that the slaughter and sale of these birds is all in the way of legitimate trade, a mere commonplace matter of supply and demand; that the law of nature is a law of rapine and ruthless slaughter; that the fowler for gain who pouches a Humming-bird or a Bird of Paradise, with as little misgiving as an angler baskets a Trout, is a mere instrument of this law to which birds themselves are subject both actively and passively; and that at worst he deals swift death to animals which would otherwise fall victims to their fellows, or to some other agency of nature ' red in tooth and claw.' All this is true, and perhaps to some extent it justifies the fowler and the trader. But it does not touch the wearer. She is the root of the evil. The wearing of feathers taken from birds slaughtered for the sake of them is in no sense a necessity. It does not minister in any way to the comfort or welfare of man, woman, or child. It is a mere vanity and fashion—a custom, if women would but think so, infinitely more honoured in the breach than in the observance. A large proportion of the birds whose feathers women wear are slain only for their sake. If the demand were extinguished the slaughter would cease, and the birds would live their own lives subject only to the appointed laws of their own being."
The 'Star' recently "interviewed" Mr. Jamrach, the well-known dealer in wild animals. We gather from the information extracted that "Lions are at a discount; they breed too many in the 'zoos.' Elephants are steady (on their feet) at £100 apiece—rather a drop that from twenty years ago, when Jumbo fetched £2000, and the average ran £400 to £500! Giraffes are pretty high (every way). The closing of the Upper Nile and the loss of Khartoum sent the prices sailing. Giraffes went as low as £60 before that; now they go up to £500. There are plenty, but we cannot get them. The last man who went out Giraffe-hunting lost his head."
The British Museum authorities have purchased Gilbert White's original manuscript of his 'Garden Kalendar' from 1751 to 1767—an important work, a small portion of which only has been published.
Since the death of Charles Darwin, his home, Down, not far from Bromley, has remained in the possession of his family. For much of the time it has been unoccupied, and it is suggested that if his family were willing to part with it, it might be purchased in order to preserve a permanent memorial of him in some way.
The efforts which have been made to stock the rivers of Natal with Trout and Salmon have at length been crowned with success, says the 'Natal Witness.' In 1889, Sir Charles Mitchell, Governor, appointed a Committee, with Mr. Cecil Yonge as Chairman, to see what steps could be taken, and two grants of £500 each were made. These were supplemented by a smaller sum from the Government and by subscriptions from the public, and operations were carried out from 1890 to 1892. During that period 9098 young Trout-fry were imported and turned into some of the larger rivers, and efforts were made to stock the Umkomanzi River with Salmon. Judging by the report of Mr. Yonge, just handed to the Minister of Agriculture, it would appear that the results of the efforts to introduce Trout are extremely satisfactory, particularly in the case of the Bushman's River. The report contains the following recommendations:—(1) That the Government continue to preserve and close ten miles of the Bushman's River with the drift known as Robinson's, or Ulundi, as the centre, under the supervision of a caretaker. (2) That the Umgeni be also preserved from above the MacArthur Falls. (3) That the importation of ova be continued, and in this connection that inquiry be made as to whether or not a supply of ova and breeding Trout could be obtained from the Cape Government. (4) That steps be taken to obtain a supply of young fry and spawn from the Bushman's River for future breeding purposes, and that a rearing pond or ponds be made in the vicinity of the Bushman's River, at a distance of about three hours' ride from Mooi River Station.
"The Danish Lieut. Olussen, Dr. O. Paulsen the botanist, and Dr. A. Hjuler the naturalist are to leave Copenhagen this month (March) for their scientific expedition to Central Asia. Their first object is the exploration of the Jaschikul lake in the Alittschur Pamir, which lies 12,090 ft. above the sea-level, and to which they travel through Kashgar and Yarkand. Thence the expedition will cross over the difficult passes into the province of Bakhau, in the South Pamir, where photographs and plans will be taken of the ruins belonging to the period of the ' Siaposcher.' The explorers intend to spend the winter of 1898–9 in the province of Ischkaschin, in the territory of Bokhara, where a meteorological station will be erected, and researches made in botany, zoology, and ethnography. In the summer of 1899 the expedition will journey along the Amu-Darya to Khiva, on the Sea of Aral, where the ruins of the flourishing period of the history of Khiva are to be photographed. The costs will be provided in part by the Danish State, partly from the Carlsborg Fund, and partly by A. Nielsen, the Danish Consul in Rostow."—Athenæum.
The ornithology of the Philippine Islands has been much studied of late years in this country, and many papers thereon have been published by the late Marquis of Tweeddale, Dr. Bowdler Sharpe, W.R. Ogilvy-Grant, A.H. Everett, and others. In the Proc. U.S. Nat. Museum there has recently appeared "A List of the Birds known to inhabit the Philippine and Palawan Islands, showing their distribution within the limits of the two Groups," written by Dean C. Worcester and Frank S. Bourns. Both these authors have collected on the spot, and they have studied the available literature on the subject, giving a bibliography of papers consulted. Differentiating the political and zoological areas, they have separated the Palawan group—of Bornean affinities—from the "Philippines proper." In a list of known species, excluding those which occur in the Palawan group, but have not yet been found in the Philippines, 526 species are enumerated. A map and six distribution charts add to the value of a valuable contribution to zoo-geography.
Mr. Walter Faxon has published in the Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. Washington some "Observations on the Astacidæ, &c," which may be taken as supplementary to his "Notes on American Crayfishes," issued in 1890. The paper generally is naturally of a technical description, but many observations are recorded as to the habits of these interesting creatures. Cheraps bicarinatus, Gray, according to Eyre, as quoted by Gray, "is found in the alluvial flats of the river Murray, in South Australia, which are subject to a periodical flooding by the river. It burrows deep below the surface of the ground as the floods recede and are dried up, and remains dormant until the next flooding recalls it to the surface. At first it is in a thin and weakly state, but soon recovers and gets plump and fat, at which time it is most excellent eating. Thousands are procured from a small space of ground with ease, and hundreds of natives are supported in abundance and luxury by them for many weeks together. It sometimes happens that the flood does not occur every year, and in this case the "eu-kod-ko" lie dormant until the next, and a year and a half would thus be passed below the surface. I have often seen them dug out of my garden, or in my wheat field, by men engaged in digging ditches for irrigation. The floods usually overflow the river-flats in August or September, and recede again in February or March."
"According to Nicolet, Crayfishes are found in the rivers, brooks, and even in the forests of southern Chile, where they live in holes in the ground, around the eutrance of which they construct earthworks in the shape of a cone nearly a foot in height. As is well known, Cambarus diogenes, Girard, erects similar mud towers or "chimneys" in the United States, and Mr. P.R. Uhler tells me that Cambarus dubius, Faxon, has the same habit in Western Virginia. Titian R. Peale informed Girard that he had observed mud chimneys, altogether similar to those of C. diogenes, along the Rio Magdalena in New Grenada, several hundred miles from the seashore. But the builders of these chimneys in New Grenada still remain unknown to science. In this connection it is worthy of note that the earliest mention of adobe towers erected at the mouth of crustacean burrows occurs in Molina's work on the Natural History of Chile, p. 208."
We have received the Report of the Council of the Zoological Society of London for 1897, which proves the Society, both scientifically and financially, to be in a highly prosperous condition. In the Gardens at Regent's Park the principal new building is the Ostrich and Crane house, commenced in 1896 and finished in March last year. During the past summer also a new glass house for reception of the Society's collection of Tortoises has been built adjoining the Reptile house at a total cost of £464 14s. 8d., which amount, however, will ultimately be lessened by the sum of £150 which the Hon. Walter Rothschild, F.Z.S., who is especially interested in these animals, has kindly contributed towards it. The removal of the Tortoises into their new house, which seems in every way adapted for their requirements, enables the public to view them with much greater facility than was the case in the building formerly allotted to them on the other side of the Gardens. It is also of great advantage to have the whole of the specimens of living Reptiles and Batrachians placed under the same care, and arranged in the same part of the Gardens.
The total number of deaths of animals in the Gardens during the year 1897 was 1196 as against 986 in 1896. This increase of 210 is chiefly due to the large number of small Reptiles received during the year. The number of important deaths has been rather larger than usual. No fewer thau six anthropoid Apes have died, viz. a Chimpanzee, two Orangs, and three Hoolock Gibbons. Among the larger Carnivora there have been also some losses. A young Tiger, two Cheetahs, two young Lions, and the Snow Leopard are among the most important of these. As an instance of longevity in confinement may be mentioned the Amphiuma, which was acquired in 1870, having thus lived twenty-seven years in the Gardens. A Reticulated Python, which was supposed to be the largest ever exhibited, had been at the time of its death twenty years in the Gardens. Two Burchell's Zebras, mother and foal, a White-bellied Pangolin, an Apteryx, and a Hyrax complete the list of the more noteworthy deaths during the year.
The number of animals belonging to the first three classes of Vertebrates living in the Society's Menagerie at the close of 1897 was 2585, consisting of 792 mammals, 1362 birds, and 431 reptiles; The corresponding number on Dec. 31st, 1896, was 2473. The total number of registered additions to the Menagerie in 1897 was 1508, of which 688 were acquired by presentation, 278 by purchase, 104 were bred in the gardens, 330 were received on deposit, and 108 obtained in exchange. The total number of visitors to the Society's Gardens in 1897 was 717,755, showing an increase of 52,751 as compared with the corresponding number in 1896. The Diamond Jubilee, as well as the fine weather, no doubt combined to contribute to this result. No such large number of visitors has entered the Society '8 gates since the year 1884.
The quantity and nature of the food required for the animals in the Society's Gardens are shown by the subjoined table:—
| Provisions consumed in the Society's Menagerie during 1897. | ||||
| Clover | 126¼ loads | Biscuits | 295 cwt. | |
| Hay | 133½ loads„ | Bread | 6081 qtn. | |
| Straw | 215¾ loads„ | Milk | 4914 qt. | |
| Oats | 144 qr. | Eggs | 26,404 | |
| Wheat | 44 qr.„ | Horses | 225 | |
| Beans | 4¾ qr. | Goats | 236 | |
| Maize | 70 qr.„ | Flounders | 2190 lb. | |
| Bran | 294 qr.„ | Whitings | 21,360 lb.„ | |
| Canary | 18 qr.„ | Rough Fish | 1016 lb.„ | |
| Hemp | 11 qr.„ | Shrimps | 1248 qt. | |
| Rape | 1 qr.„ | Fowl-heads | 9380 | |
| Millet | 5¼ qr.„ | Greens | 4280 bunches | |
| Barley | 27¼ qr.„ | Onions | 5¾ bush. | |
| Buckwheat | 6½ qr.„ | Cress | 3650 bunches | |
| Rice | 76 cwt. | Nuts | 26½ pecks | |
| Oil-cake | 43 cwt.„ | Lettuce | 502 score | |
| Mawseed | 35 lb. | Apples | 154 bush. | |
| Ground Nuts | 39 cwt. | Pears | 40 bush.„ | |
| Barley Meal | 56 1b. | Grapes | 1032 lb. | |
| Dates | 1452 1b. | Marrows | 45½ doz. |
| Carrots | 87½ cwt. | Melons | 26 |
| Oranges | 204 hundreds | Bananas | 1273 doz. |
| Potatoes | 71 cwt. | Turnips | 3½ cwt. |
| Cherries | 19 baskets |
"Notes on the Introduction of the Brown Hare into Ireland" is the title of a paper contributed by Mr. G.E.H. Barrett-Hamilton to the 'Irish Naturalist' for last March. It has been prompted by the publication of Dr. Scharff's paper "On the Origin of the European Fauna" (Proc. R.I. Acad. ser. hi. vol. iv. July, 1897). To summarize in the words of the author:—"In the memoir alluded to above, Dr. Scharff remarks that 'the difficulty of establishing the English Hare permanently' in Ireland 'is altogether unconnected with climate or food,' and that he believes that the distribution of the two species in Europe generally seems to indicate that they will not live together (op. cit. i. pp. 435 and 471). If this be so, and if, as Dr. Scharff believes, the English Hare is probably the stronger of the two species, then, all other things being equal, we should expect introductions of the English Hare into Ireland to be extremely successful, since in that country not only is the native Hare a presumably weaker species, but whole tracts of country are quite without Hares at all. On analysis of the twelve instances of the introduction of Brown Hares into Ireland, of which I have been able to give some particulars, this is found to be the case. Of these introductions ten may, I think, be regarded as authenticated — viz. those which took place at Copeland Island, Trabulgan, Powerscourt, Cleenish Island, Strabane, Castle Hyde, Fermanagh, Baronscourt, Castlemartyr, and Lurgan. On further examination, however, it is at once evident that in several instances the imported animals were never really given a fair chance of establishing themselves in their new homes, and particularly in the case of Copeland and Cleenish Islands, where the Hares were confined to a narrow space, and probably also artificially fed. At Trabulgan the Hares were imported expressly to be killed by coursing; at Powerscourt they were either injured in the transit to Ireland, or were killed as soon as they left the protection of the demesne, and similarly in most of the remaining instances their extermination was only brought about by man himself. Yet, in spite of the efforts of their enemies, whether legal or illegal, to destroy them, we have evidence—in many of the cases which I have cited—of their power to become permanently established when given a fair chance, and the success of the Strabane introduction is alone a sufficient proof of this."
"The refusal of the English Hares to associate with the Irish species, as reported in more than one instance, is of interest, and tends to support Dr. Scharff's views that the two species are antagonistic, and that the Brown Hare, being the stronger of the two, has driven the other out of the European plain into the mountains. This supposition is further supported by the behaviour of the two species in Scotland, where their respective ranges meet."
Some other interesting facts are given as to the introduction of Irish Hares into Great Britain, and Scotch Hares in Ireland and South Scotland.
Our excellent and invigorating contemporary, 'Natural Science,' in its last number, remarks on the present somewhat dilapidated condition of the Newcastle Museum—that is, the building, not the contents. "The connection of this Museum with Albany and John Hancock is well known, and many other naturalists of repute have carried on their work there. In consequence of this the collections are of more value than is usual in a provincial museum, and it is certainly some consolation to find "that the members of the Natural History Society of the Counties of Northumberland, Durham, and Newcastle held a special meeting on March 16th to consider how funds could be raised to provide the necessary repairs. We are glad to see that considerable financial support was promised, and that before long there is every prospect of the necessary £2500 being acquired.
We regret to notice the deaths of Mr. George Christopher Dennis, for many years President of the York and District Field Naturalists' Society, which took place on the 22nd of last December; and of Mr. James I'Anson, a valued President of the Darlington and Teesdale Naturalists' Field Club, on the 30th March.
A specimen of the Common Sandpiper, seen in St. James's Park, is recorded in the 'Field' of May 7th:—"On April 25th I had the unusual pleasure to a Londoner of seeing a Common Sandpiper (Totanus hypoleucus) in St. James's Park, just outside the Cormorant's inclosure, and on the edge of the island. I saw it alight, uttering its usual sharp note, and it seemed as much at home there as on a Welsh llyn or a Scottish lochside, stepping daintily along, with much tail-waving, in search of food. The keeper had not seen it, though he knows the bird as a casual spring visitor there, and it is not unknown on passage on the Serpentine and the foreshore at Battersea."—Charles H. Emson.
- ↑ See also 'British Deer and their Horns,' by J.G. Millais, p. 96, fig. 2, and p. 105.