MISCELLANEOUS NOTICES. 155 



curious to observe, they generally number more males than females: Mons. 

 Persae has taken a good many, but almost all of them are males. In September, 

 1850, I took a fine female specimen near Sandy Gate, about three or four 

 miles from Exeter. I had a non-scientific friend with me at the time, who 

 is a collector merely for collecting's sake, and in looking round a sand-pit we 

 started the fly, or rather the fly started us. There was a pretty stiff breeze blowing 

 at the time, and I may mention it was the first Clouded Yellow I had ever 

 seen on the wing, and I had not a specimen in my possession, so you may 

 think how delighted I was; I would have ran till all was blue, (as the saying 

 is,) rather than have lost it. Well, as I have said, the fly started us, and away 

 we go, net in hand, up the sand-pit, and away across the road, the fly going 

 along before the wind with all sail set, (as the sailors would say,) over the 

 hedge, and away we go after it. By the time we had got over the hedge, 

 (I lost my hat in the scramble,) the fly had got some distance across a turnip- 

 field; I, being light-built, soon outran my companion, and caught the fly. An 

 old farmer and his men were in the next field, and I dare say thought we 

 were mad; for, seeing us running as hard as we could tear after a butterfly, 

 (and my hair flying behind must have given me the appearance of being insane,) 

 the old farmer bawled out, "What's e matter with yea, be e mazed;" (mazed 

 is the Devonshire word for any one insane.) 



Thus ends my list of the Butterflies round Exeter. In my next I will give 

 a list of the Hesperida?, Moths, etc. 



4, Weir-field Place, St. Leonards, Exeter, April \Qth., 1853. 



BlkBllnuBnus 3M\m, 



The Badger^ (Meles taxus.) — A fine characteristically-coloured specimen was obtained about the 

 end of Januaiy this year, at some distance from Aberdeen, and is now in the possession of Mr. 

 A. Mitchell. It is becoming very scarce throughout every district of this coimty. — J . Longmuir, 

 Juu., Aberdeen, Mar<ih 10th., 1853. 



Malformation of the Teeth of the Rabbit, (Lepus cuniculus.) — Mr. Mitchell, Taxidermist here, 

 obtained a Rabbit, apparently a full-grown one, with very curiously-formed front teeth. The 

 two upper incisors were curved up within the mouth, being very much longer than usual, as 

 were also the lower ones, which projected considerably, with a slight bend upwards. It would 

 be a difficult matter to conceive how the poor animal could have lived for any length of time 

 in such a condition, and yet, when shot, it was by no means lean. — Idem. 



Amongst the "Miscellaneous Notices," of the last No. (June) of "I'he Naturalist," the Eev. 

 P. 0. Morris has brought forward an instance of a Rabbit taking to the water and swimming. I 

 much doubt whether in cases of exigency the Rabbit will ever hesitate to do so. The two 

 following instances occurred under my own observation :— Some time last year, I am not positive 

 as to the precise date, I saw a Rabbit, pursued by a dog, leap boldly into the Cam, at one of 

 its greatest widths, and was swimming across, when a boat put oflf and captured it. Again, 

 on the I6th. ultimo, at the Rabbit-warren, Thetford, in Suffolk, a pursued Rabbit, a very 

 young one, dashed into a small streamlet that intercepted its run, and swam across; it was 

 however soon caught— its wet coat prevented any speed in its flight. I have mentioned these 

 two instances to shew that Rabbits will take water; but both times emergency forced them. I 

 have heard of no instance of a Rtibbit being fond of water.— H. C. Stuart, Bath, June 7th., 1853. 



