MISCELLANY. 325 



a meal only once in three or four months ; Dr. Stevens saw a large Rattlesnake, 

 plump, active, and venomous, which was said not to have tasted food for nine 

 months. — Human Physiology, by John Elliotson, M.D., Part I., p. 242. 



White Moles. — David Grant, Mole-catcher, residing at the Bridge of Moniack, 

 lately caught three Moles of a pure white colour in a trap in the garden at 

 Relig. Can the severe frost have changed the coat of these " miners of the earth," 

 as it transforms the plumage of the fowls of the air ? Grant has got two of the 

 Moles stuffed, to preserve as curiosities. — Inverness Courier, as quoted in the 

 Morning Chronicle, March 12, 1838, communicated by Peter Rylands, Esq. 



The first Swallow seen near Worcester in 1838. — On Monday last, the 

 1 6th, I saw the first and only Swallow that has met my view this bleak season. 

 At about four, p. in., there was a most violent storm of snow from the N.W., 

 lasting nearly an hour, and as I was watching its conclusion from my window, 

 to my pleasure and surprise a lone Swallow appeared struggling with the storm, 

 and making head as it best could against the driving snow-flakes. It remained 

 long enough to enable me to be certain of it, and then disappeared, still progress- 

 ing northward. — Edwin Lees, Dryadville Cottage, near Worcester, April 20, 

 1338, in a letter io Neville Wood, Esq. 



Birds, etc., noticed in April, 1838. — We have lost all our Thrushes from 

 the late hard winter. — The Nightingale and Redstart visited us on the 13th of 

 this month ; and a single Swallow is seen flying about. The 13th was very 

 cold, with a strong wind, but the Nightingale was in full song, having secured to 

 himself a sheltered situation. — On the same day I saw from twenty to thirty 

 Porpoises \_Delphinus phoccena. — Ed.] in the Medway as high as Hailing, about 

 five miles above Rochester-bridge. They were exceedingly active, and in full 

 pursuit of their prey, which, no doubt, had led them so far from the sea. — W. H. 

 Bensted, Maidstone, Kent, April 23, 1838. 



Harmless Nature of the Slow-worm. — I was not aware, until I had seen 

 Mr. Bell's beautiful number of the British Reptiles, that the Slow-worm was so 

 inoffensive. I have since met with several, and had no hesitation in handling 

 them. I find them perfectly harmless, not showing the least disposition to resent 

 your liberties. What a groundless prejudice exists against this poor innoxious 

 being ! Fortunately, its colour tends much to its preservation, for when coiled up 

 upon a sunny bank it has considerable resemblance to a Hazel-root grown above 

 the surface of the ground, and would by most persons be passed unobserved. I 

 find that when placed on a dry foot-path free from Grass, it experiences great 

 difficulty in progressing forward. — J. D. Salmon, Godalming, Surrey, April 16, 

 1838. 



White Crow. — We have seen an extraordinary specimen of the Crow tribe, 

 which was shot at Rossie (Fifeshire) on the 9th instant. The wings and tail 



VOL. III. — no. xxi. 2 x 



