Esret. 319 



j & 



the shad ; and those of Edinburgh having overlooked it as the 

 young of the sprat or garvey-herring. It is now viewed by 

 Mr. Yarrell as a distinct species, and is called Clupea alba, 

 from its prevailing white colour. Dr. Parnell exhibited re- 

 cent specimens from the Forth, and also from the Thames ; 

 and he minutely detailed the characteristic marks of distinction 

 between it and the sprat and the young of the common herring, 

 to the entire satisfaction of Professor Jameson, Mr. Wilson, 

 Mr. Stark, Dr. Neill, and other naturalists present. Dr. 

 Parnell observed the white bait plentiful at the stake-nets at 

 South Queensferry. It is likewise common at Kincardine, 

 being constantly entangled in the sprat or garvey-herring 

 cruives, but hitherto neglected on account of its diminutive 

 size. If the Scottish fishermen were taught to discriminate 

 the white bait, and were encouraged to send it in quantity to 

 the Edinburgh market, they might find in it a new source of 

 income, equal or superior to the spirling or smelt fishery. 

 The most obvious marks consist in the very small size, the 

 white bait of the Forth seldom exceeding 2 in. or 3 in. in 

 length ; in the brilliant whiteness of its sides ; in the body 

 being thinner, or more compressed ; and in the head being 

 proportionally longer than in the garvey-herring, or in the 

 fry of the common herring. — P. N, March 31. 1836. 



Geology. — The Moving or the Bursting of Bogs. (p. 251 — 

 261.) — A similar phenomenon occurred, some years ago, at the 

 Bog of Allen, county Leitrim, though on a much larger scale ; 

 and the amusing incident of a poor " bog-trotter," who had 

 seated himself down upon a few acres of reclaimed land, 

 finding himself one morning " out at sea," the bog having 

 made a movement during the night, has been worked up into 

 a humorous and cleverly told story, if I mistake not, either 

 by Crofton Croker, or by Mrs. S. C. Hall, in her interesting 

 Irish Sketches. (R. M. Montgomery. Bury St. Edmunds, 

 Oct. 12. 1835. In a letter published in the Bury and Norwich 

 Post, Oct. 14. 1835.) 



Art. XI. Queries and Answers. 



SHOULD the Egret (A'rdea Garzetta) be classed among British 

 Species of Birds ? — It is remarkable, that not one British 

 naturalist, up to the present time, has recorded, upon his 

 own knowledge, that the egret has ever been seen wild in 

 this country. The only authority upon which it is classed 

 among British birds, as far as I am aware, is the very vague 

 one of Pennant, who so ranks it from having received the 



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