490 MISCELLANY. 



species was brought to the Scarborough Museum, having been shot near the town 

 on the 18th of last May. — Patrick Hawkridge, Scarborough, Aug. 7, 1837. 



Lamb without a Head. — " Ut abortivus olim Sisyphus." The most extra- 

 ordinary lusus natures I have ever seen has just been preserved by Mr. Hugh 

 Reid, of Doncaster. It is a lamb without a head ! It is perfectly formed in every 

 other respect. — F. 0. Morris, Doncaster, July, 1837. 



White Varieties of the Partridge. — Two Partridges have been shot this 

 season at Alston, near Preston, perfectly white, not a coloured feather being 

 found on either bird. On the same estate two others, of exactly simliar plumage, 

 have also been seen. — Taunton Courier. [J Wholly or partially white varieties of 

 the Partridge are not very uncommon, a circumstance attributable, perhaps, to 

 their inhabiting so near the haunts of man. It may be observed that as birds or 

 other animals come under our immediate jurisdiction and control, in equal ratio 

 does their liability to stray from the natural type, as regards plumage, size, &c, 

 increase. Thus, generally speaking, the Aquaticoe, (Latham) are more subject 

 to variety than land birds ; but amongst the former the Mallard Duck (Anas 

 boschas) will be found to vary much more frequently than most of the marsh and 

 moor birds, which again supports our observation. — Ed.^] 



Starling with an elongated Upper Mandible. — In the same collection 

 (that of Mr. Reid) is a Starling with the upper mandible remarkably elongated, 

 curving downwards, and inclining a little to the left. I have seen other similar 

 instances. — F. 0. Morris, Doncaster, July, 1837. 



White-headed Osprey. — A fine specimen of the Osprey was shot a few days 

 ago, at Sandhill Park, by Sir Thomas Lethbridge's gamekeeper. This bird 

 measures five feet two inches from tip to tip of the wings. It is now in the 

 hands of Mr. J. Turle, birdstuffer, of this town. — Taunton Courier, Oct. 11. 



Cross between a Cock Pheasant and a Grey-hen. — Mr. Dale writes me 

 word that, in the title-page to Eyton's Rarer British Birds there is a figure given 

 of a hybrid between a cock Pheasant and a " Grey-hen." In the preface it is said 

 to have been one of a brood of five. The neck appears to be black, and the rest 

 of the plumage mottled. At p. 101 a similar instance is mentioned as having 

 occurred in Cornwall, and another near Corwen, now in the collection of Sir 

 Rowland Hill, Bart. — F. 0. Morris, Doncaster, August 7, 1837- 



Insect Food. — A peculiarly disgusting insect is eagerly devoured by the 

 Chinese Hottentots ; caterpillars are cooked into a dish in some parts of Australia, 

 and the people of New Caledonia eat Spiders. Ants and their eggs are eaten by 

 several nations, and this kind of diet has been eulogised by some Europeans who 

 have partaken of it. In some parts of the East Indies it is said that vast quanti- 

 ties of Termites (white Ants) are collected, and made with flour into a variety 

 of pastry ; but an inordinate use of this food occasions colic, dysentery, and 



