916 The Zoologist — September, 1867. 



Instinct in the Swan.— A few days ago Mr. Drake, of Eton, told me tbe following 

 anecdote of the swans of the Thames: — A pair of swans had built their nest on the 

 bank of the river nearly opposite the Windsor Locks. They laid some six eggs, and 

 bad begun to sit upon tbem when Father Thames began to rise rapidly: the swans, 

 fearing ihat the nest would be destroyed, collected many small boughs and sticks, and 

 were seen by a perfectly reliable witness to place tbem upon the nest and under the 

 eggs, so as to raise them some inches: the river soon subsided, and the swans had 

 preserved their eggs and nest. This is a curious instance of the swan's instinct. Has 

 such a case occurred before within the knowledge of any of tbe readers of the 

 'Zoologist?' One of these swans nearly killed a large collie clog belonging to 

 Mr. Drake a few days ago: the swan pushed the dog under water and beat it 

 unmercifully upon tbe bead and back. — Alexander C lark- Kenned y ; 14, Prince's 

 Gardens, W. 



[There are a great number of similar instances well authenticated. — E. Newman.] 



Little Gull, Canada Goose and Spoonbill at Aldeburgh. — I had tbe good fortune, 

 on Wednesday, May 22, (o kill a little gull in tbe Thorpe Mere, in immature but very 

 handsome plumage: it was in company with several little terns, and tolerably easy of 

 approach : the bird (a male) had been feeding upon tbe slender dragonfly, so common 

 hereabouts : llie flight of the little gull almost exactly resembled that of the little tern. 

 On Wednesday, June 5, eleven Canada geese passed over the town, going south; two 

 were killed at Oifurd, but I only heard of them when too late to procure them. For 

 some time we have bad a number of the brownheaded gull or peckmires frequenting 

 the mere at Thorpe, and of late the number has very greatly increased: I find they 

 arc (June 14) all mature old birds, rapidly losing ibeir peculiar summer plumage. On 

 Saturday, June 15, two spoonbills put into Thorpe Mere, but were so very wary that 

 no one could get within many shots of them. — Mr. IJele, in the 'Field.' 



Forklailed Petrel at Yarmouth. — A fine male specimen of this bird was shot on 

 Breydon on the 6th of July, and is now in the hands of Mr. Carter for preservation. — 

 John G. Overend ; Great Yarmouth. — From the 'Field.' 



Large Salmon in the Severn and Wye. — Some large salmon were taken in the 

 Severu tin;- season: one was caught near Cone Mill, Lydney, about a fortnight since, 

 weighing over forty-two pounds; and on Tuesday last one was caught, at Beacbley, 

 weighing nearly fifty-two pounds: this last-named fish was exhibited at Chepstow; it 

 measured fifty inches in length and twenty-seven inches round the thickest part: it 

 was afterwards sent as a present to the Duke of Beaufort. Another fine fish was 

 caught in tbe Wye, near Tintem, weighing above forty pounds. I believe there have 

 not been such large fish caught in the Severn and Wye for many years past. — Edward 

 Sweetapple ; Cone Mill, Lydney, August 10, 1867. 



Allice Shad in Mount's Bay. — An immature specimen of the allice shad has been 

 taken in Mount's Bay on a wbiffing-fly. This fish is a rare one here, and its taking 

 a bail of the kind named is I believe rarer still. — Thomas Cornish; Penzance, 

 August 12, 1867. 



Rudevisch — Is this little fish ever brought to England, either bottled or as a paste ? 

 Reports credit it with possessing a flavour superior to that of the anchovy; but as the 

 only sample I have ever seen had the misfortune to be put into a buttle which bad 



