496 On Mus messorius. 
tions given in Tas. Supp. XVI, bis, f. 3, 4, were not taken from the 
eggs laid in the stove at the Garden of the Horticultural Society, but from 
those of Bul. Hemastoma* from St. Vincents. The Museum of the 
Zoological Society, where the eggs mentioned at p. 101., and the shell 
of the parent were deposited, has been searched, but the specimens 
are unfortunately mislaid. : 
G. B. Sowersy. 
Notice on Mus messorius, Shaw, Less long-tailed Field Mouse of 
Pennant. By W. J. Broperip, Esq., F.R.S., §e. 
Neither Mr. White nor the other authours who notice this small species 
appear to have observed that their tails are slightly prehensile. I had a 
pair in a dormouse’s cage, and have frequently seen them coil the end of 
their tails round the bars, especially when they were clambering along 
the sides or on the top of it. They became very familiar, soon recognized 
their friends, and would lie down or rear themselves up, to be tickled 
with a straw or a pen; an operation which they evidently enjoyed much. 
Note on the “ russet-pated Chough’’ of Shakspeare. 
In reply to Dr. Heineken’s enquiry (page 200) as to the bird meant 
by this appellation, it may be suggested that the correct reading is 
probably russet-patted, a hybrid, and consequently a barbarous phrase, 
but one which may be regarded as a not unapt version of red-legged. 
E. T. B. 
* This is the correct termination. 
