ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



There was also found south of Arisaig on open moors, 

 generally near rivulets, but not in woods, Hypnum corru- 

 gatntuin, described in the "Annals" for April 1897, under 

 H. triquetrum. On two occasions small quantities of Barbula 

 exiguclla, also described in the " Annals " for April 1897, 

 were picked up ; but, as in Orkney, only young setae were 

 seen. In my older collections made during the sixties on 

 the Breadalbane Ranges, I have come across Barbula icmado- 

 pJiila (Sch.) from near the base of King's Seat, Killin, and 

 Hypimm canariense at the base of Ben Lawers, near the Inn. 



ZOOLOGICAL NOTES. 



A Novel Method of Skinning- Birds and Mammals. When I was 

 resident at Quendale, Dunrossness, Shetland, a small boy, a native, 

 showed me the trick he had of skinning Snow-Buntings, which 

 were caught with sieve-traps in large numbers and used as food. A 

 small incision was made at the occiput, and a straw-stem inserted 

 as a blow-pipe, and the whole skin of the bird was thus completely 

 loosened. This plan was perfectly successful, so long, of course, as 

 the skin was in no other place broken or perforated. Remember- 

 ing the above, we experimented here with a Pipistrelle Bat, and a 

 proper blow-pipe, with perfect success. The whole skin of the body 

 was easily separated from the flesh, and even the leathery wings were 

 expanded between the dorsal and ventral surfaces. The toughest 

 part to separate by the impelled air was that part of the skin 

 between the shoulder blades. I cannot imagine a more perfect 

 way for separating the skin from the flesh of small mammals and 

 birds, so long as the skin is uninjured and perfect. I do not 

 know whether this method is generally known to collectors or not, 

 but I cannot recollect ever having seen it mentioned in a book ; 

 so I have thought it worth making note of, in our present number 

 of the "Annals," as it may prove an aid to those who are at 

 present studying or collecting our smaller mammals, as well 

 as to our bird-collectors at home or abroad. Of course, after this 

 operation a larger slit has to be made and the further divestment 

 performed, and the body removed. J. A. HARVIE-BROWN. 



A Litter of Male Foxes. A Fox's den was found here 

 about the middle of May, containing eight cubs, every one of which 

 was a male. I have never heard of a similar occurrence, and I do 

 not think it can be at all common. FRANCIS G. GUNNIS, Brora, 

 Sutherland. 



