MISCELLANEOUS NOTICES. 65 



of these birds. How long they may have been passing over before I came, 

 I of course cannot say; I only know that when I left, after being detained 

 upwards of an hour by the phenomenon, 'the cry was still they come.'" — 

 From the "Times" of February 2nd., 1857. 



Does the above explain the local scarcity already spoken of? — F. 0. Monnis. 



Rara Avis. — An addition to British collections of Zoology has recently 

 been made in the shape of a fine specimen of the Scolopax Sabini, or Sabine's 

 Snipe, which was shot by M. T. Smith, Esq., M. P., on the 17th. of 

 October last, at Raynham, near Fakenham, Norfolk, and which is now in 

 the possession of his son, a member of Trinity College, Cambridge. In 

 addition to this the Little Auk, the capture of which at Shelford has 

 been already mentioned in our journal, and which is now the property of 

 the Rev. E. Perowne, of Corpus Christi College, and a beautiful White 

 Thrush, shot by the Rev. J. J. Bumpstead, of King's College, were lately 

 to be seen in the atelier of Mr. Baker, and now form ornaments to the 

 cabinets of their possessors. — "Cambridge Chronicle," December 20th., 1856. 



A Curious Incident in Entomology. — On one of those bright and balmy 

 mornings, with which we are generally favoured more or less during our 

 summer months, I was happily wending my way to the sylvan grove to 

 watch the habits of its feathered songsters, and collect a portion of its 

 fresh-born treasures, when my sight was arrested by a small dark spot in 

 the distance, apparently making towards me at a slow and steady pace; 

 and being somewhat curious |and inquisitive in my habits, I was determined, 

 if possible, to know what the object could be. I therefore made a stand, 

 and partly concealed myself in the hedge-row, in order to intercept its 

 progress, or suffer it to pass by unmolested, as I might think proper at 

 the moment. In a few seconds I discovered that it was a very large 

 Bee, with something like a clog hanging on its leg. The slow and steady 

 manner of its flying, added to its strange appearance, induced me to make 

 a capture of it, which I found no difficulty in performing, being net in 

 hand at the moment. I then found that the clog- like appearance was 

 occasioned by a large wood- ant having firmly attached itself to the leg 

 of the Bee. The circumstance was of course rather amusing to me at 

 the time, but as I could not elicit any information from either of these 

 captives, I was content to start them off again, to pursue their journey 

 as long as they might find it agreeable to themselves. I could, however, 

 but admire the courage of the ant, which appeared to have formed so 

 strong an attachment, (at least with its mandibles,) that it did not relin- 

 quish its hold while I held them in custody. The Bee, however, went 

 grumbling away, as though much annoyed by such unprovoked interference, 

 and as by instinct, adopted a higher elevation, probably to secure himself 



