The Zoologist — October, 1869. 1869 



one case the young is matured before extrusion, and in the other not until sometime 

 after. Whether the distinction is what is termed generic or not is of no consequence : 

 this is in so many oases arbitrary, that it is not worth controversy. Mr. Moncreaff 's 

 interestiiiij communication in the 'Zoologist' of the present month (S.S. 1S36) strikin^rly 

 confirms the view I have given above. — Thomas Bell ; The Wakes, Selborne, 

 August 2, 1869. 



Toads devouring Bees. — I can confirm from my own observation, and unfortunately 

 my experience too, the remarks of your correspondent on the apivorous habits of the toad. 

 A large toad was found watching a bee-hive in my garden, and was seen taking one 

 after another of the inmates, as the late arrivals came home : the marauder was re- 

 moved to a distant part of the garden, but as evening returned he was again at his 

 post : this was repeated with the same result, and at length he was taken to a place 

 from whence he could not reach the garden without climbing the slightly overhanging 

 wall of a ha-ha. My under gardener, an old and observant man, did not appear to 

 consider this an unusual circumstance ; but I have never seen it excepting on the 

 occasion above mentioned. I once had an enormous toad from the Island of Guernsey 

 which was so tame that he would sit in one hand and seize insects from the other. — 

 Thomas Bell. 



[With regard to the enormous toads so common in the Channel Islands, I should 

 like to have the opinion of so distinguished a zoologist as Mr. Bell whether they are 

 of the same species as our own. I was formerly abundantly supplied with this monster 

 by my late friend William Christy, and later by M. Piquet; but the demand now 

 exceeds the supply, and I shall be obliged to any friend visiting the Channel Islands if 

 he will bring me half a dozen. — E. N.'] 



Fox Shark of the Slapton Sands.— \ have to record the occurrence of the fox 

 shark, or thrasher {Carcharias vulpes), a specimen of which was taken in a net by some 

 fishermen, off the Slapton Sands, on the first of ibis month : it measures about twelve 

 feet from tip of nose to extremity of tail ; and the length of the tail was nearly half its 

 whole length : its colour was dark blue, mottled with white over the belly. — Hemy 

 Nicholls; Kingsbride, Devon, Sept. 13, 1869. 



Nematus-Gall on Rhododendron hirsutum. — In the September number of the 

 ' Zoologist,' (S.S. 1838), I called attention to the occurrence of the gall of a saw-fly on 

 Rhododendron ferrugineum, in the Ursern Valley. I have now to record that this 

 same gall also occurs on Rhododeudron hirsutum, in the Bernese Alps, whence speci- 

 mens collected by Herr Bischoff-Ehinger of Basle, on the Gemmenalpliorn, near 

 Inteilaken, at an altitude of about 6000 feet, have just reached me ; but, I am sorry to 

 say, in a condition which precludes the possibility of rearing the insect. However, 

 this production, being now signalled as occurring in two localities on diflferent species 

 of the so-called " Alpine Rose," is likely to be found all over the Alpine Range ; and I 

 hope that entomological tourists will bear in tnind that the perfect insect is unknown 

 to \i%.— Albert Muller ; South Norivood,S.E., Sept. 6, 1869. 



