66 MISCETXANK0U3 NOTICES. 



it stood at 19" at Scarborough. On the same day (January 4th.,) it was 

 noted nt zero at Hackness, six miles iiihmd, and rather lower at Thornton, 

 sixteen miles inland; at York it fell to 2" below zero. On looking back to 

 the register of former years, T ob?ervc that from 1832 to 1840 the temperature 

 was never lower than 20^ P'ah.; and during the severe winter of 1838, the 

 thermometer on the 19th. of January stood at 30" at Scarborough, 2"^ at 

 York, and 13' at London! The proximity of Scarborough to the sea, its 

 peculiar position, and geolocjicnl fonnation, are influences, operating conjointly 

 with other causes, which prevent great extremes of temperature, and contribute 

 to produce that equahility of climate alluded to by Professor Dove, in his paper 

 on "the Distribution of Heat," at the late meeting of the British Association. 



E. BARRINGTON COOKE. 

 Scarborough, January, 1854. 



Blisrdlniirniis JdntirrH. 



A Cat (Fclis catus-domcsticus,) with mniiy Toes. — In the Wells Brush Factory there is a 

 black female Cat with t\vc'ut}'-cight toes, arranged in the following manner: — on each of the 

 fore paws there are eight, and on the hind ones six. But what is more remarkable still, is 

 that she hiis had four lots of young ones, all of which were endowed with more toes than 

 common. She has two pretty kittens with her now, about a month old, and one of thorn is 

 the owner of twenty-five, and tlic other twcnity-seven .toes. It is very probable that if these 

 monster-clawed Cats were prevented from breeding with those with less talons, tlieir toes would 

 increase to a certain number rather than diminish. — Michael We.stcott, Wells, Somerset, 

 December 12th., 1853. 



A Wliitc Hare,. (Lepus timidus.) — A perfect Albino was shot on the estate of Thomas Sibbald, 

 Esq., R. N., of Trebarrow, near Dolsdown, Cornwall, about a fortnight ago, by Mr. Southby, 

 of Cambridge Terr, Hyde Park, who has had it stuffed, and in whose possession it now is. — 

 C. Hauynought, Richmond, Surrey, January 2nd., 1854. * 



Variety of tlie Common Hare, (Lepus timidus.) — There is this da}-, Saturday, exposed for sale 

 at a poulterer's in the London mai'ket, a singular variety of the Common Hare, having all the 

 head, with the exception of one ear, perfectly white; the remainder of the body and one ear 

 being of the usual colour. — James Gaudner, 29, Great Marlborough Street, November 12th., 

 1853. 



Glossy Ibis, (Ibis falcincUus.) — A specimen of the Glossy Ibis was shot in October, in the 

 Harbour near Christchurch, and is being preserved by Mr. Hart, of that place. — Idem. 



T/ie Brambling (Fringilla montifringilla,) at Preston.— On the 26th. of December, 1853, a 

 large flock of Bramblings was seen here, of which one was 8hot.--J. W. Eccles, Leyland, near 

 Preston, I<ancashire. 



Hare Birds near Tlymouth. — On the 9th. of the present month, a fine specimen of the Gray 

 Shrike, {Lanim exvubitor,) was killed near Plymouth, and sent to Mr. Bolitho for preserva- 

 tion. I examined the contents of its stomach, and found some feathers, bones, and an entire 

 leg and foot of a small bird, but could detect no remains of insects : the Gray Shrike is very 

 uncommon in this locality. During the late severe weather two of the Common Bittern, (Arclea 

 stellaris,) have been obtained in this neighbourhood. — John Gatcomke, Wyndham Place, 

 Plymouth, January 16th., 1854. 



Sooded Crow, (Corvus comix,) in London. — On the 27th. of December I saw a Hooded or 

 Koyston Crow on the National Gallery; it seemed to me to be rather a strange position for this 

 denizen of the north, but I knew the bird too well, from having seen numbers of them in 

 Norway, to be mistaken.— C. Hai;yxovght, Richmond, Surrey, January 18th., 1854. 



