19". Moffat. — Liivimous O'lc/s 131 



it and know of it. . . . Over some of the ground it 

 travelled no person could walk, as it was very deep mud." 

 It may, perhaps, be suggested that the Donabate people, 

 who are familiar with this autumnal appearance, mistake 

 a bird for a phantom. In any case, a striking similarity 

 seems to exist, both in the nature of the movement described 

 and in the locality, season, and conditions favourable to its 

 production, between the subject of Miss Dobbs's and Mr. 

 Rennison's communications and that of Mr. E. C. 

 Barrington's. One does not wish to hear of an owl, 

 whether luminous or otherwise, being shot to decide whether 

 it is a true " glim ullert " or not. But the locality might 

 usefully be kept under observation throughout the year, 

 and particularly in summer, with a view to ascertaining 

 whether the beat that is so much frequented by the supposed 

 phosphorescent owls in dark autumn and winter nights is 

 equally favoured by the undoubted Strix ftammea during 

 its twilight peregrinations in the long evenings of June and 

 July. 



Dublin. 



IRISH SOCIETIES. 



ROYAL ZOOLOaiCAL SOCIETY. 



Recent gifts include a young Abyssininian Lion from H.M. the King, 

 three Hedgehogs from Mr. F. Godden, two Angora Rabbits from Mr. 

 R. Hughes, two Peahens from Viscount Iveagh, a Black-faced Silky Fowl 

 from Major B. R. Horsburgh, a wingless Fowl from Mr. C. W. Parsons, 

 two Fantail Pigeons from Mr. N. Mather, fifteen Barbary Doves from 

 Mr. N. J. Foley, a Canary from Mr. W. Fielding, two Quaker Parrakeets 

 from Mr. H. A. Swaynes, a Green Muscovy Drake and two Common 

 Sheldrake, a Cambayan Turtle-dove, and a Ring-necked Pheasant from 

 Mr. F. Finascrey, three Long-eared Owls from Mr C. E. Exshaw, three 

 River Lampreys from Mr. P. K. Dixon, and tliree freshwater Pearl - 

 Mussels from Mr. B. E. Hillis. Mr. H. B. Rathborne has deposited an 

 interesting collection of twenty-three exotic birds. 



A young female Orang-utan, four Common Marmosets, and four 

 Egyptian Gerbilles have been purchased. The Orang is now very lively 

 and playful. On warm, sunny days she is taken out into the Gardens 

 and makes herself at home among the boughs of the large beech trees, in 

 which she has built several nests for herself. 



