The Zoologist — Septemuek, 1869. 1843 



Ameiican fisher {Muslvla Pennanlii), the largest of the tree martens. He says, 

 "Tl)e Indians all agree as to its alleged habit of attacking and killing the porcupine. 

 'All old Hunler,' informs me that it is a well-known fact that the fisher has been 

 often — very often— trapped with its skin and flesh so filled with quills of this animal 

 that it has been next to an impossibility to remove the felt from the carcase. * * * 

 Mr. Andrew Downe, the well-known Nova Scotian practical naturalist, says he has 

 often found porcupine quills in the fisher's stomach on skinning the animal."* — John 

 Cvrdeaux ; Great Coles, Ulceby, Lincolnshire, August 5, 186;^. 



Abnormal Dentition in the Rabbit. — A case somewhat, if not exactly, similar to 

 that recorded by Baron A. de Hiigel in this month's 'Zoologist,' with reference t#the 

 abnornKil dentition in the rabbit, presented itself to me some time ago. On the 25th 

 September, 1867, when cutting a field of corn, a rabbit was killed by the reaping ma- 

 chine, the teeih of which presented a remarkable appearance. The two large upper 

 incisor teeth were bent round in contrary directions, not abruptly but gradually : each 

 tooth formed nearly the same curve, which, if completed, would form a circle whose 

 radius measured to the outside of the tooth would be about three-eighths of an inch ; 

 and, as the teeth were nearly semicircles, the distance from the extremities would be 

 one and a half inch: such was the case. In the lower jaw there was only one tooth, 

 not much longer than its normal size : there was a groove along each of the upper 

 teeth, and the tooth opposite that in the lower jaw was a shade more sharply curved 

 than that opposite the vacant space. I have not the skull in my possessiim now, as I 

 unfortunately put it out on the top of the house to bleach, when some wandering 

 hawk or owl spied it, I suppose: at any rale, I saw no more of my rabbit's cranium. 

 Dallas, speaking in his ' Animal Kingdom ' of the Rodentia, has the following : " And 

 when one of the incisor teeth is broken away, the one opposite to it, being deprived of 

 all check upon its growth, continues to increase in length like the tusk of an elephant; 

 but as the form of the socket is the segment of a circle, the tooth is developed in a 

 circular form, and may thus in time prevent the animal from taking any nourishment." 

 p.S. — I should say the rabbit when killed was in a most emaciated condition. — 

 R. M. Barringlon ; Fassaroe, Bray, August 2, 1869. 



Shore and Sea Birds.— On the 22nd of .May I was walking on the shore here, and 

 observing three waders at a short distance, I, by a little manceuvreing, succeeded in 

 getting within shot and killed two of them : they proved to be a pair of sanderlings in 

 summer plumage. I was wishful to obtain the other bird, but could not then accom- 

 plish my object, consequently I took the earliest opportunity which presented itself, 

 which was on the 25th : on this occasion it was blowing a strong gale from the N.E., 

 and being spring-tide very little of the shore was exposed ; I therefore had less diffi- 

 culty in approaching the following birds, which I succeeded in shooting, viz., a male 

 sanderling, a male Kentish plover, and a male knot: these were feediug in company 

 amongst the seaweed which had been left by the tide, and were in their full summer 

 plumage. I saw another Kentish plover at the same time, but it eluded me : I how- 



* ' Forest Lilc in .Acadie,' p. 101. 



