EDITORIAL 75 



its particular habits in respect of selecting a foster parent' " 

 He very pertinently remarks, too, that in forming a theory 

 regarding the hereditary nature of the " foster-bias," the 

 polyandric habit and the influence of the male parent have 

 hitherto been left out of account. 



A small warbler, believed to be a Siberian Chiffchaff, 

 inhabited a valley near Tunbridge Wells from 28th November 

 to 17th December 191 3, where it was seen by several observers- 

 This species has till now not been recorded from south of the 

 border. 1 



A pair of Kites nested in Devonshire this year, and 

 there are several other records of the occurrence of Kites 

 in Somersetshire, Derbyshire, and Buckinghamshire. This 

 increase in English counties is very gratifying, especially 

 taken in conjunction with the fact that in Wales also the 

 birds are becoming more numerous. 2 



The coming of spring on the land is publicly heralded by 

 the voices of mating birds and the general awakening of life; 

 but, though its progress is less apparent, the kalendar of the 

 seasons is no less definite nor less interesting in the sea. 

 There also the spring-time is a notable breeding period. 

 During February the collections made by the Fishery 

 Investigation research steamer "Goldseeker" were note- 

 worthy on account of the large quantities of fish-eggs and 

 young larvae obtained in the North Sea. At almost every 

 station the floating eggs of one or several of these common 

 food fishes were collected plaice, flounder, dab, long rough 

 dab, cod, haddock, and saithe the greatest numbers occur- 

 ring in the seas north of Shetland (mostly saithe) and in the 

 Moray Firth. As a result of the persistent Scottish investi- 

 gations, there have recently been published a couple of 

 interesting biological papers, which emphasise the importance 

 of spring movements in the sea. The first discusses the 

 " Distribution of the Larvae of the Eel in Scottish Waters," 

 and shows how the curious larval forms (Jeptocephali) drift, 

 gradually changing into glass-eel shape, from the west coast, 

 where they are found in August, by way of the Orkneys and 



1 and 2 British Birds, vol. vii., March 1914, pp. 296, etc. 



