The Zoologist— January, 1873. 8365 



Otters near Plymouth. — Not long since a large otter was seen close to an 

 enclosed pool kept as a store-pond for marine animals intended for the 

 Crystal Palace Aquarium. Otters are not at all uncommon among the rocks 

 in Plymouth Sound, and I well remember watching one with a telescope 

 for a quarter of an hour as it was fishing in the sea quite fifty yards from 

 the shore. It swam about in a kind of circle, constantly diving just like a 

 cormorant, and bringing up a fish almost every time, which if small was 

 eaten in the water, but if large was brought to a rock and^ there devoured ; 

 .then the otter would again swim off and fish as before. During the quarter 

 of an hour I saw it catch no less than twelve fish. About a week since a 

 friend of mine went to inspect a wreck lying on the rocks in Mount Batten 

 Bay, when he observed some boys pelting something with stones, and on 

 going to see what it was, he found that they had killed one otter and 

 another was at the last gasp. As they were fine animals he purchased 

 them both and had them stuffed. No doubt the surf, during the late 

 tremendous gales, had d'riven them from hiding-places among the rocks. 

 — John Gatcombe; 8, Lower Diirnford Street, Stonehouse, Plymouth, 

 Decemher 6, 1872. 



Bats flying at Noon. — Within the last fortnight I have, on five different 

 days, observed a shorteared bat flying between the hours of 11 a. m. and 

 1 .30 p. M. in the bright sunshine, catching insects with the greatest ease, 

 and bold enough to come within a yard of my head. I tried several times 

 to knock it down when coming towards me, but it always swerved quickly to 

 one side. The first time I saw a bat fly in the sunshine was on the 18th 

 of March last year at noon. I have noticed that the days were all mild, 

 and each time there was a continuous rain during the preceding night. In 

 future I shall consider the expression "blind as a bat" to mean quickness 

 of sight. — J. Sclater; Castle Eden Castle, Durham, November 7, 1872. 



[Other instances have repeatedly been recorded in the 'Zoologist.' — E.N.] 



Birth of a Rhinoceros in London. — This unprecedented event occurred 

 in the Loudon Docks on the evening of the 6th of December, and we learn 

 the following particulars from the obliging keeper Mr. John Warncken. 

 The two animals, mother and child, are the property of Mr. Eice, naturalist, 

 of Grove Street, Commercial Eoad. The mother was taken in a pitfall, 

 and was shipped, with a male of the same species, from Singapore, in the 

 steamship " Orchis." The ship encountered such heavy seas on the voyage 

 that the strong teak cage of the male was broken in, and the occupant was 

 either killed or died from injuries received. After a passage of seventy-three 

 days, the vessel arrived in the Victoria Docks, and before the survivor could 

 be removed from deck she gave birth to this young one. The period of 

 gestation, hitherto unknown, has, we believe, now been ascertained to be 

 nine months. Mr. Bartlett, of the Zoological Gardens, was at once sent for, 

 and under his superintendence the "little stranger" was removed in blankets. 

 SECOND SEBIES — VOL. VIII. E 



