142 NOTES — ORIGIXAL AND SELECTED. 



Bridge, at the sight of a large number of porpoises sporting themselves in the 

 Thames close by the bridge. Their antics were most amusing. After remain- 

 ing for a time in the vicinity of the bridge, they made off in the direction of 

 Westminster, It is an indication of the improving condition of the Thames 

 that this gregarious Cetacean, common enough cff the Essex coast, should 

 ascend so far up London's river. The porpoises probably did so in the 

 pursuit of some kinds of flsh. 



A VES. 



Little Owl (Athene nactua, Scopoli), at Harlow, — A specimen of this 

 exceedingly rare bird is reported (in the Essex County Chronicle for October 

 27th, 1899), as having been caught in a rabbit trap at Harlow. It is in the 

 hands of Messrs. Tyler and Ringer, of Bishop Stortford, for preservation. 

 We hope to obtain further details. The bird has only occurred about 20 

 times in England, and according to Mr. Saunders there is some doubt as to 

 the truly'vvild nature of at least some of these examples. In Essex, according 

 to Christy (Birds of Essex, 161), the only really authentic specimen is that in 

 Mr. G. P. Hope's collection at Havering Grange, found dead in a plantation 

 in Chigwell, in 1865. 



The Sea-GuUs on the Thames. — " London's sea-gulls have just returned 

 to town, and the pigeons on the Embankment, near Blackfriars Bridge, are 

 once more turning green with envy. The gulls have nearly all arrived, and 

 yesterday (October 12th), during the dinner hour, the bridge and the 

 Emb-inkment near it were lined with spectators, who threw morsels of food to 

 the welcome birds. The gulls — there were a couple of hundred of them — 

 wheeled about in the air in thorough enjoyment of the fun, and screamed 

 shrilly as they swooped down and carried off the scraps. The game lasted 

 about an hour, and everybody enjoyed it — except the hundred pigeons who 

 live on the Embankment, near Blackfriars Bridge, all the }ear round. To the 

 pigeons the winter brings feelings of disgust and despair. The gulls turn up 

 in scores and monopolise public attention, and the pigeons \-ainly endeavour, 

 in their" longing for notoriety, to try and look like sea-gulls. They start below 

 the bridge, come flying up at lightning speed, and then, spreading their 

 wings, try and float about in the air like their more buoyant antagonists. 

 But it generally ends in failure. A sudden gust upsets the sailing pigeon's 

 balance, and either flings him perilously near the bridge or sweeps him away 

 up stream." — Daily Mail, October 13th, 1899. A note by Mr. Howard Saun- 

 ders, on the species of Gulls frequenting the Thames during the last three or 

 four years, will be found in the last volume (E. N., vol. x., p. 392). The 

 Gulls are now (November) very much in evidence in the air opposite Somer- 

 set House ; they may be seen also by dozens resting on the floating barges 

 keenly on the look-out f(jr passmg food. — B. G.Cole. 



BATRACHI i 



Palmated Newt (Mulgc palmata) at Buckhurst Hill, Essex.— During 

 a hunt forTpond animals in this neighbourhood in June last, I was 

 delighted to find Molgc pahnata somewhat commonly. The merit of first 

 discovering the species in the Forest belongs to Dr. G. A. Boulanger, F.R.S., 

 who' found it in a small pit near Chingford Station (see Esskx Naturalist 

 vol. I., p. S). This pretty newt wnW probably be detected in other parts of 



