The Zoologist— June, 1869. 1719 



The Natterjack is common on the Continent of Europe, in Germany, 

 Poland, the South of France, Switzerland and Russia, and Lord Cler- 

 mont adds the West of Asia and the North of Africa. In England it 

 occurs at Gamlingay in Cambridgeshire, King's Lynn in Norfolk, 

 Wisley Heath, Putney Heath, Wimbledon Common, and many other 

 localities in Surrey, Blackhealh in Kent, and probably in other coun- 

 ties ; in Scotland it has been found abundant on the coasts of Solway 

 Firth ; and in Ireland it is equally abundant on the southern slopes of 

 Macgillicuddy's Reeks, in the Killarney district. 1 supposed this a 

 discovery of my own in 1839, but found from the late Dr. Mackay 

 that he had published the fact three years previously in the 'Magazine 

 of Natural History.' 



Mr. Cooke records a superstitious belief at King's Lynn, in Norfolk, 

 respecting the Natterjack. " One of these toads is to be obtained and 

 buried in an ant's nest, where it is to be left for some time. When the 

 flesh is all cleared off by the ants, and the skeleton is quite clean, the 

 shoulder bones are to be taken oflf and thrown into a running stream. 

 One of these bones will float with the current, whilst the other will 

 float against it. The latter bone must be secured, and, if kept as a 

 talisman, will confer on its possessor supernatural power." 



Edward Newman. 

 (To be continued.) 



Oiler in Suffolk. — k. fine otter was shot on the 5th March, in the vicinity of 

 Oulton Broad, whilst basking on the stump of an old tree. — T. E. Gunn, Norwich. 



Mouse or Spider. — In this month's number of your ' British Moths,' when noticing 

 C. Perspicillaris, you say — " There are two records of this moth in England — one at 

 Yarmouth, and the second (a wing only) at Ashford, in Kent : the latter is said to have 

 been found in a spider's web." This reminds me of the old controversy, Spider or 

 Mouse, and adds another spoke in the wheel in favour of my opinions in that con- 

 troversy ; and I firmly believe that two men were never more mistaken than 

 Messrs. Doubleday and Newman in that matter. I feel that T am but a minnow 

 attacking tvitons, but you must recollect that neither of you ever attempted to over- 

 come the difficulty of bats feeding on butterfiies : the fact alone of almost all the 

 wings found at Looe being butterflies, convinces me that bats had nothing to do with 

 the matter. — Slephen Clogg. 



Mush Rat (Sorex cserulescens) and Frog. — At Jaunpur, N. W. Province, India^ 

 on the 22nd October, 1861, I was coming out of my room at 4 a.m., when I heard a 

 cry of distress outside ; it sounded something like the noise made by a frog when im 

 pain. It was still dark, so, taking a hand-candlestick, I went to the grass whence the 



