276 
Mr. Montagu's Observations 
Water Shrew. 
Sorex fodiens. Gmel. Syst. p. 113. 7. Shaw Zool. i. p. 534. t. 118. 
Sorex bicolor. Nat . Mlscel. t. 55. 
"Water Shrew. Pennant Quadr. p. 308. No. 236. Br. Zool. i. 
p. 125. f. 11. No. 33. 
In addition to what has been said of this rare animal by the 
very respectable authors referred to, we beg leave to add, that it 
is an inhabitant of Devonshire, as Mr. N. Luscomb of Kings- 
bridge picked up a recently killed specimen in that neighbour- 
hood, and which is now in our possession. This, which is a male, 
weighed three drams and a half: it differs a little from those gene- 
rally described, as the throat and breast are pale ferruginous. 
It was found about the time of the year that the annual morta- 
lity befalls the common Shrew, Sorex araneus ; and, contrary to the 
usually supposed habits of which its name is indicative, was remote 
from water, upon one of the highest and most arid situations in 
the country, on a rocky bank. Whether it had been brought to 
that spot by an owl, or any other bird of prey, is not to be deter- 
mined ; but is not likely, -as it had no marks of violence ; nor is 
it usual for predaceous birds to carry their prey to so great a di- 
stance as this was found from a place suitable to a supposed am- 
phibious animal : it is more probable that it sometimes rambles 
from its more usual haunts. 
Cirl Bunting. 
Emberiza Cirrus. Gmel. Syst. p. 879- Ind. Om. i. p. 401. 10. 
Cirl Bunting. Lath. Syn. iii.jp. 190. 
Bunting, Cirl. Om. Diction. 
Since we made public the discovery of the Cirl as indigenous to 
the west of England, opportunity has thrown in our way the 
means 
