3526 The Zoologist— May, 1873. 



in this county, the dimensions and description of which I have always since 

 much regretted I took uo note. I remember, however, that it was black or 

 nearly so, both above and below, but in size it far exceeded Mr. Bell's 

 measurement of the oared shrew {S. remifer). My impression is that it was 

 as large as a full-sized male short-tailed field vole. I have several times 

 since searched the place where I found it, but have never been able to meet 

 with a similar one. — O. S. Bope ; Leiston, Suffolk. 



Australian Flying Squirrel breeding in Coniinenient. — It may interest 

 some of the readers of the ' Zoologist' to hear of Australian flying squirrels 

 breeding in England. A pair which I have had for more than a year in a 

 cage have produced one young one. The mother generally carries it in her 

 pouch, and when she is engaged in feeding in the open part of the cage the 

 father keeps it warm and takes care of it. It is now about a week old, and 

 I do not think it can see yet. If you or any of your correspondents care for 

 more particulars I shall be glad to give them. — Emma M. Paget; Hoxne, 

 ScoU, April 10, 1873. 



Arrival of Spring Migrants^ &'C. — IMarch 29th. — Stonechat, wheatear, wry- 

 neck, swallow ; a stonechat and several wheatears observed about the sand- 

 hills near Crosby. Wryneck heard twice at Eton, Bucks. 30th. — Three 

 swallows were seen to-day near Eton. 31st. — Plovers have now begun to 

 nest and perform their aerial evolutions. Frogs are waking up from their 

 state of torpidity: I observed several to-day evidently just come from their 

 muddy winter quarters; their backs were covered with a slimy weed, which 

 seemed almost to have taken root in their skins. — H. Dumford; 1, Stanley 

 Road, Waterloo, Liverpool, April 10, 1873. 



Ray's Wagtail.— Mr. Doubleday (Zool. S. S. 3490) is "convinced" that the 

 wagttiils seen by me at Cassiobury on the 15th of January, and recorded in 

 the ' Zoologist' (S. S. 3455), were Motacilla boarula and not M. Rayi, there- 

 by taking for granted that I had taken no pains whatever to be certain of 

 the identification. Now, as I had watched the birds in question for about a 

 quarter of an hour, and at times had them within a few yards of me, I am 

 quite convinced that they were M. Rayi. To anyone acquainted with the two 

 species, the larger size and longer tail of M. boarula would always serve to 

 distinguish it from M. Rayi. Again, because I referred to the mildness of 

 the season at the time of seeing the birds, Mr. Doubleday seems to think that 

 I supposed that was the cause of their early arrival from their regular winter 

 quarters. Of course I never meant anything of the kind, being of opinion 

 that the pair of birds noticed by rae had remained in this country since last 

 summer. — C. Bygrave Wharton ; Bushey, Herts, April 8, 1873. 



Serin Finch at Brighton. — A specimen was taken on the Dyke Road, at 

 Brighton, on the IGth of April. It was brought to Mr. Swaysland. — 

 ' Field; April l^th. 



