The Zoologist — November, 1867. 987 



quest of food ; his shorter, and less webbed or membranous toes 

 unfitting him for working through or under the snow. 



Swallow. — 28th. Great numbers seen in the neighbourhood of 

 Sandowu ; they are now flocking together. 



Martin, 8fc. — 30th. Numerous martins and some swallows, mostly 

 birds of the season in immature plumage, were observed hawking 

 about the trees near the cliffs. Though the days are warm (thermo- 

 meter between 55 and 60° at 9 a.m.) there has of late been white frost 

 at night, and I believe the migration has commenced. 



Willow Wren — Observed all through the month. 



Wild Duck. — Has been already seen on our coast. 



Henry Hadfield. 

 Ventnor, Isle of Wight, October 7, 1867. 



Rats eating Grapes. — A circumstance novel to me, and perhaps to some readers of 

 the ' Zoologist,' occurred here within the last few days. The gardener came to me 

 on Friday last, and said that something had been at the grapes. I went up to the 

 green-house with him, and it was very evident that something had been at them 

 indeed, for the bunches in several places were almost half destroyed, some grapes 

 being half eaten, others skinned but not eaten, and others nipped off and lying on the 

 ground. We both suspected rats; but I thought perhaps a squirrel might have got in 

 early in the morning (for they are numerous about here) and committed the act. The 

 gardener stuffed a hole which he observed at the place where the vine enters the 

 green-house with grass: next morning the same scene presented itself, if not worse; 

 he then stopped the hole with furze-bushes, but to no purpose. We then set ten traps, 

 one to each vine, and next morning we had four large brown rats iu them, which 

 circumstance clearly proved that they were the culprits. This year they also attacked 

 our cherries, nipping them off by the stalk, but leaving them otherwise untouched, for 

 they did not seem to eat any of them. — R. M. Barrington ; Fassaroe, Brag, Coun/y 

 Wichlow, October 15, 1867. 



Varieties of Birds.— Bes\de the whitewinged partridge recorded in the 'Zoologist' 

 (S. S. 950), the following varieties are known to have occurred at Cobham: — 



1. Sparrowhawk. White, slightly mottled with brown. 



2. A brood of white blackbirds, four or five in number, beside many pied 

 varieties. 



3. A pure white martin. 



4. A white turtle dove. 



5. A buff-coloured partridge. — Clifton; Eton College, Bucks. 

 Notes on Newman's ' Birdsnesling.' — 



1. Golden Eagle (Zool. 7394). Still breeds in Scotland, and more numerously 

 than is generally supposed. Mr. E. C. Buxton (Zool. 7463) mentions the fact of the 



