124 CRITICAL NOTICES OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. 



course larger, and of a rather deeper green ; it is accompanied by 

 some original remarks upon its breeding habits. 



Then follow those of the Goldeneyed Garrot and of the Long- 

 tailed Sarcelle ; the former beautiful and bright deep green, the 

 other dull olivaceous green, and smaller. We are happy to find 

 that Mr. Hewitson is enabled to corroborate the old account of the 

 Garrot breeding in the holes of trees, of which a friend has also as- 

 sured us from observation. The Sarcelle's egg is figured from a spe- 

 cimen brought home by one of the arctic expeditions ; for although 

 the author frequently met with small roving flocks of these birds 

 when in Norway, and dissected several which appeared nearly ready 

 to lay, he was not fortunate in obtaining the egg. A female speci- 

 men we lately examined in Leadenhall Market had the stiff tail- 

 feathers a good deal worn, as though much used for a support when 

 clambering. A fine male we also lately had the pleasure of mea- 

 suring, and which was shot in Orkney, had the long central tail- 

 feathers exceeding by six inches those next but one on either side, 

 which is a greater length than we ever previously met with. 



An egg of the Redbreasted Merganser, very pale brown. — 

 " This elegant species," Mr. Hewitson states, *' is one of the most 

 common of the Duck family in Norway." " Amongst the smaller 

 birds," he observes, '' which I have had an opportunity of frequent- 

 ly observing, I have remarked that they lay their eggs early in the 

 morning. I was, therefore, surprised to find that two of the 

 Redbreasted Mergansers which we shot contained hard eggs, 

 ready for laying, as Lite as eleven o'clock in the forenoon." We 

 have noticed, in some instances, that each successive egg is, in many 

 of the smaller land birds, deposited later every day than the preced- 

 ing, and that sometimes a day elapses without the expected increase 

 of number in the nest. 



Eggs of three species of Podiceps, the Crested, Horned, and 

 Little Grebes of authors. Respecting the last mentioned our au- 

 thor quotes Montagu, who asserts that, '' notwithstanding this pre- 

 caution (of covering the eggs), they are frequently destroyed by the 

 Water Rat." Our friend the Water Rat — or Water Vole, as we 

 prefer to designate him — has enough on his shoulders for burrow- 

 ing into the raised banks of canals, and for storing himself a winter 

 provision of potatoes. We acquit him entirely on the charge of 

 destroying Grebe's eggs, or those of any other species of fowl ; the 

 common Brown Rat is the guilty species, and the little Field 

 Mouse will also devour the eggs and nestlings of the smaller I?ises- 

 sores. To render assurance of the innocence of the Arvicola doubly 

 sure, we have confined a large old male of this species and supplied 

 him in turn with every kind of provision, green food and various 

 sorts of leaves, corn and beans, young ducklings murdered by a 

 Weasel, butcher's meat, and eggs ; of these it would never touch 

 aught but the green leaves, and fruit, and vegetables, v^rhich it de- 

 voured voraciously, and could not even be starved into eating corn 



