3304 THE ZooLoGist—NovEMBER, 1872. 
return to the nest with it, so brought it home; it was covered with 
white down, no feathers visible. I put it into a cage on the table, 
and sat down to take off my wet and tattered clothes: I was 
directly assailed by a shower of something like lime and water 
from the little fellow; the distance from the cage was two anda 
half yards. I pinned a newspaper round the cage, but all to no 
purpose; the trajectory to clear the paper was at once obtained, so 
I tried another plan: I made a porthole in the side, the use of 
which was quickly understood; I then placed a target against the 
wall, and had no more trouble on the point. I took the bird about 
11 a.M., and at 10 p.m. it had consumed seven newly-hatched 
blackbirds, besides worms; it turned out to be a female, and 
became remarkably tame. I kept it nearly two years, and then 
turned it out, but it would not go away: it scarcely ever left the 
yard; its favourite perch was a large stone in the yard, and it went 
to roost in some of the outhouses at night, perching upon an old 
box or anything of that sort: it was at last killed by the yard-dog, 
having got too near his trough when he was feeding. This 
bird was also caged with a male for some months; they agreed 
well together, only, like the sparrowhawks, when a mouse or bird 
was put into their cage there was always a tussle for it; each would 
lay hold with one foot, and standing on the other, with wings 
spread and screaming, pull away in opposite directions, until some 
part gave way, or one of them, generally the male, gave in. 
JoHN SCLATER. 
Castle Eden Castle, September 3, 1872. 
Otter.—The largest otter I have ever seen was killed a short time ago on 
the banks of the river here, by a large dog of the Newfoundland breed. The 
person who saw the capture, and to whom the dog belonged, says that the 
fight between it and the otter was something terrible, and lasted for a 
considerable time both in and out of the water. Judging from the mangled 
and lacerated appearance of the head, neck, and throat of the otter, as well 
as from a few deep scars on the corresponding parts of the dog, the 
man’s description was not far wrong.—G. B. Corbin; Ringwood. 
Are the Channel Islands British !—I regret that you should give even a 
qualified approval of the proposal for including the productions of the 
Channel Islands in the British fauna (Zool. 8. §. 3184). Iam unable to 
