1008 The Zoologist— December, 1867. 



" The robin and the wren 

 Are God Almighty's cock and hen ; 

 The martin and the swallow 

 Are God Almighty's bow and arrow." 



(Chambers.) 



This association of the robin and the wren and the legend of the 

 ' Babes in the Wood' are both very old : John Webster (17th century), 

 in the 'Duchess of Malfi,' alludes to them thus: — 



" Call for the robin redbreast and the wren, 

 Since o'er shady groves they hover, 

 And with leaves and flowers do cover 

 The friendless bodies of unburied men." 



And Mr. Harting has noticed Shakspeare's and Isaak Walton's allusions 

 to this charity of the "honest robin" (Zool. S. S. 418). Among the 

 Scandinavians this species was sacred to the fiery-bearded Thor, and 

 as the wren was also sacred to the northern gods, this may, after all, 

 be the true origin of these fancies. 



Edward R. Alston. 

 Stockbrigps, Lesmahagow, N. B., 

 November, 1867. 



(To be continued.) 



Notes from Flamhorough. By John Cordeaux. 

 October, 1S67. 



October 14th. Arrived at my old quarters near the north landing- 

 place at 3.30 P. M. In the evening walked along the north shore 

 towards the light-house. Observed in the course of this walk several 

 rock pipits, a kestrel and some thirty or forty lesser blackbacked gulls, 

 with two exceptions young birds. I also saw a single skua [Lestris 

 catarractes). This northern side of the headland of Flamborough, 

 from the northern landing-place to the lighthouse, is extremely wild 

 and picturesque. Time and tide have indeed wrought many mighty 

 changes in this coast-line, since it first arose a long unbroken and 

 gigantic barrier of limestone, stemming the fierce onslaught of the 

 wild North Sea. A year has passed, and all is changed save the 

 destroyer. The great waves yet rush landward, line beyond line, even 

 as they did in those remote ages, bursting in thunder at the root of 

 the mountain, ever unceasingly night and day, summer and winter, 



