20 CORRESPONDENCE. 



dmwpnhm. 



Leptodora ' htalina. — The enquiry that has been made about the 

 correct pronunciation of this name can be answered by reference to the 

 derivation of the word, namely Le'pto-do'ra, from \eirros, delicate, and 

 Sopa, skin, in allusion to the remarkably delicate and transparent 

 covering of this very interesting creature. The o in dopa being the short 

 Greek letter, makes the sound strictly Le'pto-do'rra. — W. P. Marshall. 



Abnormal Eckjb of the domestio hen, similar to that named by Mr. 

 C.Rothera, (Vol. II.,p. 259,) are not I think very uncommon. I have several 

 in my possession gathered from the hen roost during the last few months 

 whioh vary much in size and appearanoe. One is perfectly globular 

 and very small, not more than half an inch in diameter ; another is ■ 

 rather larger and rather more oval in shape, and having one large lump 

 of oaloareous matter at the narrower extremity of the egg ; the others 

 are smoother and more oval, but none larger than a pigeon's egg. — 

 Arthur S. Male, More Eectory, Bishop's Castle. 



Ornithological Notes. — The Grey Wagtail is more common with us 

 in autumn than at other times of the year. On the 15th November I 

 observed five along the Cherwell, in this parish, and a fev days after- 

 wards I found several about the same place. On the 22nd of that month 

 I saw what I believe to have been a Green Sandpiper. If it was of that 

 species it was an unusually late date. I am informed by a friend that 

 he saw Redwings about the middle of October, I, myself, did not see 

 any till the 22nd of last month — a very late date. Neither this bird nor 

 the Fieldfare is nearly so numerous this year as it usually is. The early 

 winter may account for this. We have had a good many Wild Ducks 

 coming to feed at night on the Cherwell, and one or two Teal have been 

 shot, but the dryness of the meadows has prevented them coming in 

 as large numbers as usual. The Heron may still be frequently seen here. 

 About a month ago I saw four sitting in a tree in Wykham Park ; and it 

 is no unusual thing to rouse one or more in a walk along the stream. 

 This bird looks very peculiar on leaving a tree. Its long legs hang down 

 for the first few strokes of its wings, before they are gathered up and 

 stretched out behind. — 0. V. Aplin, Bodicote, Oxon, Dec, 1879. 



Animal Sagacity. — As you ask to be furnished with instances of 

 sagacity or instinct on the part of animals, I send the following 

 anecdote : — " A horse of mine, which had been stall-fed for several years, 

 was turned out to grass in one of my fields. I accompanied the man 

 with it, feeling a little curiosity to see how it would behave. It did not 

 kick, or gallop, or roll about as horses sometimes do on being let loose, 

 but immediately began quietly to partake of the pasturage, nibbled for a 

 moment, moved on a step or two, then tried again. He then, instead of 

 moving on to bite fresh grass, remained stationary, grubbing away with 

 his teeth on the same spot, until he had bitten through the turf into the 

 soil, and had sunk a small cavity into it, the dirt or soil coming out with 

 the saliva at the sides of hiB mouth. He did not seem to swallow, but 

 simply to grind it between his teeth. After doing this for a short time 

 he commenced feeding on the grass in a natural way. The theory we 

 forme<!Kftbout it was that the horse found himself at first unable to nip 

 off the blades of grass in a satisfactory manner, owing to his teeth having 

 been worn too smooth by the long period of stall-feeding, and this led 

 him to adopt an expedient for roughing them by grinding their surfaces 

 with the grit of the soil. The process of grazing may, perhaps, afford a 

 natural supply of grit in the very small quantity that is necessarily 



