Sucklers. 9359 
bitten through. On giving it a large one (about four or five inches long) it gave it a 
sharp bite, then sprang back, then flew at it again, until the worm was half dead, when 
it ate about half and hid the rest. It slept during the middle of the day, rolled up 
among the moss, but always waked up at once if worms or flies were put into the box. 
I believe that, when pressed for food, shrews will kill and eat frogs, but when a large 
one was placed in the box the present specimen did not seem inclined to prey upon it, 
although it now and then gave it a slight bite on the hind leg; after they had been 
together for some hours the poor frog’was taken away. The shrew seemed to be very 
cleanly, constantly dressing its fur and “washing” its face with its fore paws, as 
rabbits do. It soon died by an accident. A correspondent of the ‘ Field’ newspaper 
stated (‘ Field, 3rd October, 1863) that the water shrew (Crossopus fodiens) preys on 
small fish, both in a state of nature and in captivity, “ pursuing and capturing them 
with all the grace and address” of the otter. It would be interesting if any of the 
correspondents of the ‘ Zoologist,’ who have the opportunity, would further investigate 
this habit. Here the water shrew is unknown, although I have met with one or two 
examples of the rarer oared shrew (C. remifer). 
Squirrel—In autumn and winter the squirrel often feeds on the cones of the 
larch and other pines: holding the cone in its fore paws it tears off the scales and 
devours the seeds. According to Sir C. Lyell, the remains of cones eaten in this way 
are found in the Norfolk cliff forest bed (‘ Antiquity of Man,’ p. 215). Squirrels also 
sometimes nibble the bark of young birches, and this summer I saw one feeding on 
bilberries (or “ blaeberries,” as we call them in Scotland); it sat on its haunches 
among the bushes, and gathered the fruit with its fore paws. A variety with the tail 
almost white is not uncommon in this neighbourhood, and in some parts of Germany 
black ones are often seen. During a severe winter, a few years ago, a squirrel was in 
the habit of entering a closet on the ground-floor of this house, eating the bread, &c., 
which was kept there. It entered through a small unglazed window about two feet 
from the ground, through which it escaped if any one came in to the closet during its 
visit. Surely such boldness is not common in this species. 
Roedeer.—I lately examined the stomachs of a buck and doe, both in fine condi- 
tion. In each case the paunch was full of food, which was of a very miscellaneous 
‘description, including grass, moss, blaeberry leaves, young heather, spruce-shoots, 
a little corn, and, what rather surprised me, a large quantity of fragments of various 
species of Fungi, some being of the common kinds of “ tvad-stool ” and others 
apparently of those sorts which grow on the trunks of trees. Quantities of those 
Fungi grow in the woods where the deer were shot.— Edward R. Alston ; Stockbriggs, 
Lesmahagow, N.B.; October 14, 1864. 
Seals off the Coast of Yarmouth.—The seals I noticed the occurrence of (Zool. 
9277) were specimens of the common seal (Phoca vitulina).—T. E. Gunn. 
Whales in the Bristol Channel.—On the 11th instant four whales were observed in 
Swansea Bay: two were taken and the other two got away. I was from home at the 
time, and on my return found all traces swept away. My brother took an outline 
drawing of the one which was brought in here; it seems to have been singular for the 
abrupt termination of the forehead, and for possessing a well-marked snout about 
15 inches long: its dimensions were 27 feet in length, 20 feet in circumference, and 
the fan of the tail 7 feet broad. — David Williams; 56, Wind Street, Swansea, 
October 25, 1864. 
