Reptiles. 7759 



springing up under, are all of a wood-brown. The two middle tail-feathers are moulted 

 off; the upper feathers of the plumage are appearing with pale edges, in substitution for 

 a darker and uniform tone of colour. These birds (the skuas) withdraw to the Arctic 

 regions before this period, but this specimen appears, from injuries received, one foot 

 being cut off, to have been prevented from retiring with the rest ; and hence the op- 

 portunity of observing it in moult. Further observations upon the points referred to 

 in the characters of this genus will probably be made, and additional light thrown 

 upon changes of plumage not hitherto attributed to the different species. — Edward 

 Hearle Rodd ; Penzance, September 17, 1861. 



Occurrence of the Parrot Crossbill at Epping. — Three specimens of the parrot 

 crossbill {Loxia pityopsitlacus) were killed yesterday, at one shot, by a boy at Lam- 

 bourne, about four miles from Epping, — a male in fine red plumage, another male in 

 yellow plumage, and a female. This is the first occurrence of this species in this 

 neighbourhood, so far as I am aware. The common and white-winged crossbill I have 

 shot here. — Henry Doubleday ; Eppiny, September 21, 1861. 



Note on the Hawk's-bill Turtle (Testudo imbricata).— The occurrence of the hawk's- 

 bill turtle in Scotland, mentioned in Mr. Edward's communication (Zool. 7713), is inte- 

 resting, as an additional instance to those before recorded, and alluded to in my work 

 on British Reptilia. At page 9 of that work Mr. Edward will find the following 

 passage : — " The history of this species as a British visitant is confined to the mere 

 notice of its accidental occurrence, on three different occasions, on the shores of Great 

 Britain. Sibbald states that he received the shell of one which ' came into Orkney ;' 

 Dr. Fleming says, ' I have credible testimony of its having been taken atPapaStour, one 

 of the West Zetland islands ;' aud the late Dr. Turton has mentioned an instance of one 

 which ' in the year 1774 was taken in the Severn, aud placed in the fish pond of the 

 author's father, where it lived till winter.'" The beautiful structure mentioned by Mr. 

 Edward, as lining the oesophagus, has long been known. I take the liberty of 

 offering the following passage from the work already quoted : — " The food of the 

 turtle consists of marine plants, especially the sea wrack {Zostera marina) ; and they 

 graze at the bottom of the water, coming at intervals to the surface to breathe. 

 As this mode of taking their food renders them very liable to swallow with their ali- 

 ment a considerable quantity of sea water, there is a beautiful structure lining the 

 interior of the oesophagus, by which this circumstance is effectually obviated. This 

 consists of a great number of horny pyramidal bodies, with which the whole exterior 

 of the oesophagus is furnished, all of them directed backwards towards the stomach ; 

 by which means, although the food and the water together can be readily swallowed, 

 yet when the stomach is contracted for the purpose of regurgitating the water, the 

 food itself is retained." — Thomas Bell; Neiv Broad Street, August 31, 1861. 



Description of the Larva of Pamphila Actaon. — The larva feeds, in June, on 

 Calamagrostis epigejos, chiefly under the shade of fir trees; it makes deep notches 

 in the edges of the leaves, which help to betray its proximity. It feeds in the evening 

 and at night, resting in the day time extended on the flat surface of a leaf. It is of 



