9734 Reptiles. 



least seventy that settled in the River Derwent, near Cockermouth, I obtained the 

 two specimens, which are in splendid plumage, and had them preserved. I cannot 

 learn, from even " the oldest inhabitant," of a single visit of this bird here before. — 

 George Maivion. 



Egyptian Goose at Barnstaple. — A small flock of Egyptian geese appeared on the 

 Taw the last week in June. One killed by one of the river pilots was brought into 

 Barnstaple for preservation. — Murray A. Mntkew ; Weston-super-Mare, July 7, 1865. 



The Ivory Gull: Correction of an Error. — I regret that at Zool. 9566 I have 

 recorded the occurrence of an Ivory Gull at Weston-s^uper-Mare, because the bird I 

 then referred to has been found not to belong to that species. I only had a hurried 

 view of the bird the first time I saw it, and this was in rather a dark room, and the 

 bird was already mounted and cased. Seeing a snow-white «ull I concluded it could 

 be nothing else than the ivory gull ; but on a subsequent visit I was surprised to notice 

 that it was without the black legs of that species, and was altogether a much larger 

 bird. I am almost at a loss to what species to refer this sin^;ular capture. It cor- 

 responds most nearly, in the structure of bill, legs, Sec, with a young great blackbacked 

 gull, and may possibly be an albino, although, if it is, it is the first albino gull I ever 

 came across. A large gull, snow-white alt over, with legs and bill of a uniform green- 

 tinged flesh-colour, is somewhat a nondescript, and I should be very glad to hear if 

 any of the readers of the ' Zoologist ' have ever met with a similar one, or could give 

 me any light upon the matter. — Id. 



Note on the Capture and Habits of the Smooth Snake. 

 By Dr. Blackmore. 



Having been fortunate enough to catch two specimens of the com- 

 paratively little-known smooth snake {Coluber Iwvis), during a short 

 visit to Bournemouth, I am anxious to record my experience of this 

 pretty little snake ; not, indeed, that any new fact has been elicited by 

 me, but my observations tend to confirm those previously noted and 

 recorded by others. 



On the 10th of June, 1865, one of those scorching, cloudless days 

 so frequently met with during this month, after strolling along the 

 beach for about a mile beyond the flag-staff of the coast-guard station, 

 I turned inland, and wandered up a beautiful little green gorge or 

 miniature chine, down which trickled the water from a small tract of 

 higher level marshy land, the rich verdure of which was charmingly 

 relieved by a sprinkling of the feathery white cotton rush : here I was 

 startled by coming unexpectedly upon a large adder basking on the 

 damp grass. My friend was extremely polite, and made all haste to 

 get out of the way, but almost instinctively my walking-stick was down 

 upon him ; a few additional taps rendered him quiescent, and he was 

 soon tied up in my handkerchief and safely deposited in my pocket. 



