70 Mr. R. M. Christy, Natural History Notes. 



placed in the thrush's nest, the bottom of the latter would 

 have rendered it impossible for the nuthatch to get inside, 

 much less to set on eggs there. 



I shall be glad to hear any explanation of the cir- 

 cumstance, as I confess myself much puzzled with it. 



R. M. C. 



Saffron Walden, May 24:th, 1880. 



IV. 



(Bead June 26th, 1880.) 



Notes as to the health and condition of the various creatures 

 which in a way are under our charge as members of the 

 County Club should at all times be welcome at our meetings. 

 I am sorry to report that I lately procured a fine trout 

 thickly covered with the disease which, when occurring 

 on salmon, is called '^fungics," and which has lately been 

 working great havoc with that fish in some of the rivers in 

 the north of England. This specimen I first noticed on 

 the 23rd of March last, and resolved, after seeing its state, 

 to remove it. This was in the brook Cann, which runs 

 past our house at Chignal St. James, where there are a 

 few nice fish, but they do not seem to increase much in 

 numbers. It was very sluggish, and would only move a 

 short distance on being frightened. After several inef- 

 fectual attempts to obtain it, I at last fired at the fish in a 

 shallow place and killed it stone dead. It must have 

 been by the concussion, however, as not a shot actually 

 touched the fish. It was a very fine specimen, 19| inches 

 long and weighing 21bs. lOoz., and very much covered with 

 fungus, of a dirty white colour ; at least the half of its 

 entire surface being affected. It was on the back prin- 

 cipally, and the dorsal fin in particular. Not being a 

 great angler, I do not possess much knowledge of the 

 salmon disease, but thinking it at any rate to be some- 

 thing new for the disease to attack trout, and that in a 

 little country brook, unpolluted by manufactories and 



