The Zoologist — September, 1866. 385 



(Zool. 9644), I beg to refer your correspondent Mr. Alston to a notice of this habit in the 

 Second Series of the Rev. J. G. Wood's • Natural History' (vol. i. p. 382), in which the 

 author observes, " That when hard pressed they will have recourse to vegetable sub- 

 stances." I have had an opportunity of examining the stomach of one of the specimens 

 above mentioned, which passed through my hands, but could not detect the slightest 

 indication of vegetable matter, the season being so mild as to enable it to obtain 

 an abundance of its more proper sustenance. 



Common Rat. — Three or four piebald varieties have occurred during the course of 

 the past season. 



Common Hare. — A fine male specimen of the gray variety of the common hare 

 was killed on the estate of Mr. J. Overman, at Burnham Sutton, near Wells, during 

 the middle of January last. An example or two of this variety occur nearly every 

 season in that neighbourhood (see Zool. 9646). I am informed that two other examples 

 of this variety were also obtained about the same time as the above, one in the vicinity 

 of Cromer and the other near Scole. An individual was killed at Stalham on the 5lh 

 of March ; it was peculiarly marked by having a large patch of white on its forehead, 

 ^extending from the tip of its nose to the base of its ears; the remaining hue of its 

 coat as usual. 



Common Rabbit. — In November, 1865, two varieties were obtained at Burlingham, 

 near Norwich ; the first of a pure white, with the exception of the usual reddish 

 chestnut patch behind its ears, which, however, was much paler than in ordinary 

 specimens. The other was of a uniform pale buff colour. 



Red Deer.— A piebald example, an atlult male, was killed on the Stanfield estate, 

 near Wymondham, in the early part of October, I860 : its head was cut off and for- 

 warded to this city for preservation. — T. E. Gunn ; 3, West. Pottergate, Norwich, 

 July, 1866. 



Remarkable Ball found in Ireland. — Some time since a ball was found on the 

 surface of the ground in a grass-field near our house: it is about an inch and a half in 

 diameter: the colour shades from light gray or slate-colour to dark gray or olive: the 

 surface of the ball is uneven, and so hard that scratching on it with the point of a 

 knife makes very little impression : the weight is light (little more than half an ounce) ; 

 on one side is a small hole, and on inserting a pin you can perceive that the ball is 

 hollow and has a number of cow's hairs inside it; the opposite side of the hole is 

 slightly indented. Perhaps some of your readers could inform me what the material 

 is of which this ball is composed. — F. H. Baltersby ; Cromlyn, Rathowen, August 18, 

 1866. 



[I have examined the ball with great care, Mrs. Battersby having had the kindness 

 to transmit it for my inspection ; and the only suggestion I can make is that it has 

 been formed in the stomach of a cow or calf from the aggregation of hairs licked off by 

 the animal, and rejected from its stomach in the present remarkable form : I can add 

 nothing to Mrs. Baltersby 's admirable description.— 7?rfwarrf Newman.} 



Rats or Mice sucking Eggs.— In the number of the 'Zoologist' for August (S. S. 

 336) Mr. Jeffery makes mention of the fact of birds' eggs being found minus their 

 contents, and having a small perforation in the shell. Two instances of the same have 

 come under my notice, amongst others, as regards hen's eggs. Some years ago I saw, 

 in the collection of Mr. Smellie Watson, Edinburgh, two common hen's eggs, each 

 having two small and very regular-sided perforations in the shell, one at each end, and 

 SECOND SERIES — VOL. I. 3 D 



