Queries and Answers, 183 



gardens, living in holes in walls, and doing much injury to 

 the espaliers." Perhaps some correspondent can inform us 

 whether the rat mnlot has ever been seen in English gardens or 

 orchards, and can tell us something more respecting it than 

 my meagre description does. 



On a late visit to Weymouth I noticed the large import- 

 ation of apples from Jersey and Guernsey : waggon loads in 

 sacks were frequently passing my apartments. On enquiry, I 

 found they were sent inland to make cider. Can there be 

 any other reason why the cider should not be made in Jersey 

 and Guernsey, and imported from those islands, except the 

 difficulty of importing all kinds of liquors, from the caution 

 necessary to be observed in preventing smuggling of spirits 

 and wine?-— JS. B, Nov. 26. 1833. 



Starlings and Rooks. — In the country, I have very fre- 

 quently observed that immense flights of starlings attend on 

 large flocks of rooks : when driven from one field, they fly to 

 another, in company, though not mingled, but each forming 

 a separate squadron. Does either species serve as a guide to 

 any kind of food acceptable to both ? or for what purpose is 

 this strange association ? — E. N. D. September, 1833. 



[Scolopax rusticola, in " Notes on the Starling, V. 284., has 

 these remarks; — The starlings " are often seen in company 

 with the rooks, and are in the habit of frequenting pastures 

 with their larger companions. Their food, possibly, consists 

 of the same species of worms, slugs, grubs, &c. They will 

 often build under the rooks* nests in the rookery, and thus 

 appear something like dependants."] 



Has any Correspondent heard the Song of the Water Ouzel f 

 — My attention was attracted to it during a fishing excursion 

 in North Wales, on October 8. 1833 ; and I should describe it 

 as something similar to the faint warbling of the lesser petty- 

 chaps, but continued a considerable time without cessation, 

 as that of the stare [starling]. I was some time in ascertain- 

 ing the fact, as the bird was sitting under a projecting bank ; 

 and, consequently, the song appeared to come from the water. 

 I never before had an opportunity of hearing it, which I attri- 

 bute to the extreme shyness of the bird. — G. B. Oct. 18. 1833. 



[In I. 4?94., a correspondent has queried the name of a strange' 

 bird whose characteristics he gives : one of these is, " its cry 

 resembled that of the water ouzel."] 



Has a Geotrupes possessed of the Jblloxmng Characteristics- 



been previously described ? — Ater ; subtus aeneo-purpureus ; 



elytris punctato-striatis ; singulis macula ocellata aurantiaca 



prope apicem inferiorem. This insect has been captured by, 



' and is now in the possession of, my friend J. Bannaii, Esq., 



N 4 



