1682 The Zoologist— May, 1869. 



Otter near Wakefield. — About the 3rd of February an adult otter, weigLing 

 twenly-lhree pounds, was captured in the river Calder, at Stanley, near Wakefield. — 

 George Roberts ; Lofthouse. 



Hi/brid between Bactrian Camel and Dromedary. — It being generally understood 

 that the Bactrian camel and the dromedary, while in captivity, will not interbreed, 

 I beg leave to crave space for the insertion of the following : — A female dromedary 

 belonging to this menagerie, when at Bedford a few days ago, dropped a fine calf, the 

 sire of which is a pure Bactrian or double-humped camel, and the hybrid possesses 

 the distinctive characteristics of both parents : it is healthy, is suckled by its dam, and 

 has the appearance, up to the present, of coming to maturity. Within a few hours 

 after its birth, a Bactrian she camel also dropped a calf. The most singular fact is, 

 that both animals dropped similar calves, by the same sire, exactly two years ago. — 

 E. Stevenson ; Secretary, Wombwell's Royal Managerie No. 1, March 29. 



The Water and Rock Pipits. — I have often been asked about two pipits found on 

 the south coast, viz., the water pipit (Anihus aquaticus, Bechstein ; sive spinoletta, 

 Linn.), and the rock pipit {Anthus obscurus, Keyserling and Blasius). After two 

 years' investigation, I have at last twelve specimens now before me, obtained at 

 various limes from Mr. Swaysland, of Brighton — all birds on which I can rely, and 

 taken near this town. I open the books of Mr. Gould, Dr. Bree, Mr. Morris, the 

 'Zoologist,' Yarrell, &c. &c. Thus armed, I propose to poiut out how any tyro in 

 Ornithology may distinguish between the two species in their various stales of plumage, 

 and thus to clear up the confusion which has so long existed. Mr. Gould, in his 

 magnificent folio on British birds, states that he has compared and identified the 

 Brighton water pipit with the Continental Anlhus aqiiaticus (Bechstein). This, there- 

 fore, is so. Our English bird is more common in spring than in autumn. It is a 

 migrant, while A. obscurus is only a partial one. The former arrives early, departs 

 to breed ; the latter breeds here, and remains the whole winter. The earliest date of 

 A. aqualiciis before nie is a male bird, taken at some litile distance from the shore on 

 February 19th, 1869, with vinous breast and blue tinge on the back, in breeding 

 plumage even at this early period, just arrived. The last are a pair with dates 17th 

 and 18th of March, 1869, male and female respectively, in the same dress, showing 

 what is true in both species of these Anthidae — that the male and female can hardly 

 he distinguished except by dissection. By the first week in April every water pipit 

 lias left our shores, not to return till the autumn. I have here an autumn specimen, 

 killed October 26th, 1868, near Shoreham. In this bird the vinous breast and pre- 

 vailing blue tinge of spring and summer are gone. The under parts and the feathers 

 of the vent are pure while ; so accordingly is the outer web of the first tail-feather, for 

 the colour of the venl-fealhers rules in both species that of the outer tail-feather, 

 which in A. obscurus is at ihe same date buff. This distinction is not observable in 

 the summer plumage of the two species, concerning the distinctness of which as species 

 I, without hesitation, am positive. The colour of the beak, usually a good diagnostic 

 distinction, fails. I mention this because 1 have been formerly myself misled by it. 

 But the under part of the throat in A. aquations is while in all stages and both sexes, 

 but spotted in A. obscurus. A. obscurus is olive-green, both male and female, in 

 every mouth of the year, as my specimens prove. The bird is larger and coarser than 



