8 22 The Zoologist— July, 1867. 



Rats on the Coast. — In walking along the Dorsetshire coast between Encombe and 

 Kimmeridge, a few days ago, I was surprised to find that a colony of rats had taken 

 up their abode among the shingle. The coast is bounded by steep cliffs, perfectly in- 

 accessible (even to a rat) from the land, except where the chines run down to the sea, 

 and the habitat of the rats is about a mile fiom the nearest point of approach from the 

 land. The entrance to the holes in the shingle, which are close to high-water mark, 

 seems to be carefully selected where three large pebbles happen to be so placed as to 

 form a sort of cross lintel and door-posts. At first sight they have all the aspect of an 

 artificial arrangement, but I think they have been merely selected from among the 

 naturally placed stones as they lie on the beach. This is evidently a permanent colony, 

 as the neighbourhood of the holes is strewn with fragments of partly consumed sea- 

 weed and other marine exuviae, upon which the rats must exclusively subsist. Did 

 they emigrate to this curious retreat from the land side, or are they the remnants of a 

 shipwreck ? — George Maw ; Benthall Halt, near Brosely. 



Badger at Cockermoulh. — In the month of February last a large and fine specimen 

 of the badger was taken alive in a wood near Cockermoulh, by R. Chapman, keeper to 

 Major Green Thompson. It is still in the keeping of the person who caught it, who 

 takes great pride in showing it to strangers. From whence or how it has come into 

 this neighbourhood there is not the slightest evidence to show. — George Mawson ; 

 Moor Side, June 15, 1867. 



A large Otter. — On the 8th of March a large otter was shot on the banks of the 

 Loddon : it had been feeding on a chub, the tail end of which was left: it weighed 

 23J lbs. Otters are becoming very scarce round here; they are so sharply looked 

 after. — C. E. Stubbs; Henley-on-Thames. 



Errata. — In my notes on the roe- deer, S. S. 779, line 13, for " Dr. Tiegler," read 

 "Dr. Ziegler," and at p. 781, third and fourth lines, transpose " fig. 5" and "fig. 6." 

 — Edward R. Alston; 205, Bath Street, Glasgow, June 7, 1867. 



Ornithological Notes from Aldeborough.— On the 2nd of May I found, near Aide- 

 borough, a snipe's uest, containing four eggs. On the 15th of May I found, on some 

 marshes at Aldeborough, another snipe's nest, with four eggs, most probably the same 

 pair, for they were within two miles of each other. On the 16th of May I fouud a tree 

 sparrow's nest in a sand martin's hole, containing five eggs, three of which I have in 

 my possession : they are much smaller than those of the house sparrow: the nest 

 was in no way like that of the house sparrow, being made altogether of moss and 

 wool. A good specimen of the little gull (Larus minutus), in summer plumage, was 

 6hot on some marshes near Aldeborough : this bird is a great rarity here, never having 

 been shot or even seen before; it is now in the possession of Mr. F. Hele, of Alde- 

 borough.— E. C. Moor ; Aldeborough, Suffolk, May 24, 18(i7. 



Dales of Arrival of the Summer Migrants near Wakefield in 1867.— The wheatcar 

 made its appearance at the end of March. 

 April 9. Heard tree pipit. 



„ 16. Saw yellow wagtail. 



„ 18. Heard willow wren ; saw swallow. 



„ 19. Heard chiffchaff. 



