THE RETROSPECT. 135 



Hampshire Climate; Early Flowering of Plants.— The weather during the last six weeks 

 has been unusually mild, though more rain has fallen here during December and the beginning 

 of January, than for the last forty years during a similar period. I had a walk in the country 

 to-day, and was gratified by observing several specimens of the following plants in flower near 

 Gosport: — Primula vulgaris, Ranuncidits Jicaria, Rammeitlns acris, and Stellaria holosiea. — 

 J. Rose, M. D., E. N., Royal Hospital at Haslar, January 18th., 1852. 



Wood Anemone, (Anemone nemorosa.)— I have not unfrequently found the flowers of this 

 plant more or less tinged with purple, especially when in bud. In its common state it is 

 among our prettiest woodland flowers; but when thus tinted, its beauty is much enhanced. 

 Yet lovelier is it, as I have found it in great abundance, in arockywcod known as "Mount 

 Crol," near Helston, Cornwall. Here many of the blossoms are tinged with rose purple, but 

 the majority are of a delicate azure blue, somewhat resembling the tint of A. Appennina, but 

 lighter. A more lovely bouquet formed of one sort of wild flowers, can scarcely be imagined. 

 — C. A. Johns, Callipers Hall, Herts. 



€\^t lUtrDS|itrt. 



Bo the Hawk tribe drinhf The Kestrel, (Falco tinnunculus.) — In "The Naturalist," vol. 

 ii., page 221, Mr. II. S. Daniell answers this question in the negative, and gives various instances 

 of Hawks kept by him in confinement which never drank. Now, whatever may have been the 

 case with Mr. Daniell' s captive Hawks, it is quite certain that, in a state of nature, these birds 

 do drink, in proof of which I will quote from a letter lately received from a friend of mine, 

 an excellent practical ornithologist, who resides on the wildest part of the Pembrokeshire coast, 

 and whose opportunities for observing the habits of birds are such as few are privileged to 

 enjoy. He states, "I was watching the movements of a Kestrel Hawk the other day, as ho 

 was endeavouring to avoid the attacks of some Ijapwings, when suddenly he went to the ground, 

 as I expected, to take a Mouse. I looked at him through my glass (a good DoUand) and saw 

 the bird as distinctly as if it had been within p, yard of me. He deliberately walked a few 

 feet to a small stream of water, and there drank copiously, and exactly as a common Fowl 

 would drink." Mr. Daniell states that the Hawks which he kept never saw water; now it is 

 very possible that had they been supplied with it they would have drank, and been glad to 

 do so, and it is also possible that, in a captive and unnatural state. Hawks may not require 

 water, at all events Mr. Daniell's observations prove they can live without it, but it is very 

 certain that, in a state of nature, they drink other beverage than "the hot blood of the slain." 

 — E. K. B , April 16th., 1853. 



The above fact is a very interesting one, and clearly proves the point as to the Kestrel ; but 

 this being a species, the food of which consists a good deal of insects and very small animals, 

 it may not by them be supplied with sufiicient liquid, and may resort to water to supply the 

 deficiency; whereas those species which prey on the larger birds and animals may find the 

 blood in them to afford an adequate supply of fluid, and thus require no direct sujjply of 

 water. "We merely throw out this hint as a possible solution of the apparently opposite 

 statements of our two correspondents. — B. R. M. 



I regret that I should have fallen into an error with respect to the Jer-Falcon mentioned 

 at page 60 of the current volume ; the bird turns out to be a very large specimen of the 

 Peregrine-Falcon, {Faleo^eregrinns.)—yf. Martin, Stockton-on-Tees, April 11th., 1853. 



Orthagoriscus Mola. — It is necessary again to correct Mr. Taylor, and also to add a few 

 particulars which he omits at page 88 of the current volume of "The Naturalist." On calling 

 at our house, as he said that he had previously received no account of the fish, at his request 

 I gave him a description of it. This, except the error previously corrected, appeared verbatim, 

 without acknowledgment, as his own in "The Naturalist," vol. ii., page 280; this, he now 

 says, he got from "a fisherman," and also discovers that my account agreed nearly with the 

 one he setit. To explain the cause of the mistake in the newspapers is unnecessary, (and I 

 may mentioH that Mr. Taylor's statements with regard to the Rev. Mr. Longmuir are quite 



