iSz FIRST APPEARANCES OF BIRDS, INSECTS, ETC. 



Starlings', and sparrows' song commenced. October nth. 

 Heard a golden plover flying high out of sight. 



Dr. Curme records the occurrence of a crossbill at Bourne- 

 mouth (Hampshire). 



Notes on Mammals. 



Bat {Vesperugo pjpistrellus ?). — Bats observed from January ist 

 to 1 2th and 20th and 22nd; then no observation till February 

 27th; frequent afterwards. (S. C), Sherp-orne. 



Rat — Rabbit. — A rat was seen killing a rabbit. (D. C), 

 Childe Okeford. 



Roe Deer {Capreolus caprea). — " It has been a great pleasure 

 to note by constant observation for some years that the roe deer, 

 like the nightingale, is gradually increasing and becoming more 

 common to the westward. In the large coverts of West 

 Dorsetshire and South Somersetshire, in the neighbourhood of 

 Crewkerne and Chard — viz., the Somersetshire holts, the Hinton 

 coverts, those at Seaborough, Forde Abbey, Castle Ne Roche, on 

 the south side of the vale of Taunton, and in two or three coverts 

 in the parishes of Wambrook and Hawkchurch, roe deer have 

 been occasionally observed when hounds have been drawing for 

 fox, or by the guns out pheasant shooting. The roe deer 

 originally wandered from Lord Sandwich's coverts at Hook Park, 

 near Beaminster, which until the last decade or so were the most 

 westward coverts where roe deer were found in a natural state. 

 Now they are not very uncommon in the district I mention, and 

 it is to be hoped that covert owners will preserve and encourage 

 this beautiful British deer to breed and increase naturally. We 

 have too few natural wild animals in England in these days of 

 artificial sport. The roe carries a very sweet scent to a hound, 

 and when once induced to break covert makes fine points and 

 shows the very best of sport with hounds." — E. S. Rodd, in 

 '' The Field ^^ Newspaper. 



Notes on Reptiles. 



Ringed Snake {Tropidonotus natrix). — Seen March 6th. 

 (E. R. B.), Corfe Castle. A snake was seen in the road, 

 having swallowed the hind legs and body of a frog, which was 



