PRELIMINARY CLASSIFIED NOTES 319 



But it may be mentioned that some dispute the very slight evidence in favour of a 

 supposed former more frequent occurrence on parts of our coasts. [A. L. T.] 



4. Nest and Eggs. Does not breed in the British Isles. [F. c. R. J.] 



5. Food. In a wild state it lives on worms, small crustaceans and molluscs, 

 aquatic insects, and frogs. Naumann says that their main food consists of larvae 

 of aquatic insects and worms, as well as insects, beetles, dragon-flies, sedge-flies, 

 small molluscs, small frogs and tadpoles, fishes and their spawn. One specimen 

 contained many caddis-flies and a water-beetle (Hydrophilus). H. 0. Forbes includes 

 in the dietary of this species small reptiles and scraps of vegetable matter. In 

 confinement it is practically omnivorous. [F. c. R. J.] 



