CORRESPONDENCE GLEANINGS. 205 



first ripe fruit of Potevtilla Fragariastrum ; first Wild Eoses seen in full 

 flower. 23rd, flowers of Trifolium procumbens first observed. 24th, 

 by now, Thymus serpyllwm in flower on slopes of Weaver Hills. 24th, 

 first flowers of Lychnis Flos-cuculi in moist ground, and Geranium pratense 

 near edge of wood, at foot of Weaver Hills. 25th, (approx.,) first 

 flowers of Prunella vulgaris. 25th, Silene inflata first seen in flower by 

 yew plantation on warren ground ; first flowers of Epilobium montana 

 appeared ; old wall, facing S. 26th, Stachys sylvatica first seen in 

 flower on hedge bank, in deep, narrow lane. 30th, Lonicera Pericly- 

 menum first in flower. — Clement L. Wragge. 



Water Shrew. — One fine summer evening as I was sitting in my 

 garden a Water Shrew made its appearance in a small pool of water. 

 The little creature first ran along the bits of sticks and leaves which 

 floated in the water, apparently in search of insects, but every now and 

 then toppled over. This, however, did not seem to be any inconvenience, 

 for it ran along the under side of the floating sticks with as much ease as 

 when on the upper surface ; and when it emerged, as it quickly did, its 

 fur did not appear to. be at all wet. Having carried on its manoeuvres 

 in this way for some time, it betook itself to the edge of the pool, and 

 commenced boring with its head into the ground with extraordinary 

 energy, raising its hinder parts into the air to give force to its exertions ; 

 just in the same way as I have seen a mole do when boring into the 

 roots of grass in search of insects in the open air. Having in this manner 

 captured a worm or the larva of some insect, it drew out its head and ate 

 its prey, apparently with great satisfaction, not swallowing it whole, 

 after the manner of a bird, but biting it and eating it by degrees. 

 These operations it carried on for a considerable time, until darkness 

 prevented further observations. These creatures are by no means 

 uncommon in our streams and ditches, but as none of us have been able 

 to capture any of them, we are uncertain respecting their species. I 

 suppose they are the Sorex fodiens, Lin. On the 20th of last February, 

 what I suppose was an immature example of this species was taken alive 

 in the harbour opposite the museum, brought down by the freshet. Whole 

 length 3 T 7 5 inches, head one inch, body l r 4 n inch, tail lfo inch ; blackish- 

 brown above and beneath, breast ash colour ; head elongated into a 

 proboscis, strongly ciliated with long white hairs ; muzzle with two 

 rounded, smooth, black lips, slightly parted ; legs smooth, livid ; feet 

 dark beneath, not ciliated; fore legs r 4 inch, hind legs -^ inch. — Martin 

 Simpson, Whitby Museum. 



(Ilemtings. 



Introductory Science Primer. — The long-looked-for Introductory 

 Primer by Professor Huxley, F.K.S., has at length been published by 

 Messrs. Macmillan and Co., and has already had an enormous sale. 



The British Association. — The fiftieth annual meeting will 

 commence on Wednesday, the 25th inst., at Swansea. The President- 

 Elect is Andrew Crombie Eamsay, LL.D., F.R.S., Director-General of 

 the Geological Survey and of the Museum of Practical Geology. 



Manual of the Infusoria. — Mr. W. Saville Kent's long-promised 

 manual will, it is announced, be published by Mr. David Bogue, in six 

 monthly parts, the first of which is to be ready in October next. The 

 complete MS. and drawings are in the printer's hands. 



