The Zoologist— December, 1873. 3797 



familiar cases. If I have succeeded in contributing a few unfamiliar 

 facts to the store of science (and the hope that I have is encourage 

 by the fact that my reviewer has had the courtesy to approve of 

 the treatment of some cases, and to acknowledge the merit of an 

 occasional novelty) I am much gratified, and consider myself well 

 paid for my labours. To be charged with literary theft must be 

 unpleasant even when it is merited ; but to be falsely branded with 

 "scientific plagiarism," without any provocation, is an accusation 

 which cannot be borne in silence. In this case, the charge bears 

 with it so much arrogance, that a simple defence against it is not 

 sufficient; and I should consider myself very selfish and uncour- 

 teous did I not make some return for the marked attention which 

 I have received. I therefore deem it my duty to state here, that 

 the several examples alluded to above are but a fraction of the 

 number of cases in which I have suffered from my indiscretion of 

 being too trustingly communicative, and from Dr. Coues having 

 taken advantage of earlier means of publication. 



Should my reviewer realize the truth of his preliminary remark, 

 that " the critic's oflQce is not seldom ungracious," I am sure that 

 I feel very sorry that he made up his mind not to " shirk the 

 responsibility " in which the tone, more than the matter, of his 

 criticism involved him. 



Otter in the Thames.— When fishing near Parkhill Lock, a mile above 

 Eynsham Bridge, an otter rose in the middle of the stream; at first we 

 mistook it for a large fish feeding, but two days later it was again seen at 

 the same spot. It came up close to a man's float. It is supposed to have 

 come down the river from Ark Island, having been disturbed by some 

 people who had been moorhen-shooting. — A. H. Smee. 



Rats eating Pigs. — A farmer in this neighbourhood (Longparish, Hants) 

 lost eight pigs last winter, about sis months old, from rats ; during the cold 

 weather, when food was scarce, they nibbled the edges of the pigs' ears whilst 

 they slept, in some cases gnawing them close down to their heads, so that 

 they gradually wasted away and bled to death.-^H^. Durnford; October, 

 1873. 



Ornithological Notes from Snffolli during August, 1873.— 



Kestrel— 20th. This afternoon I winged a redshank on " the flats " up 

 the Blythe, from behind the river wall, which fell close to the river ; whilst 

 waiting for the boatmen to come down and pick it up, I observed a kestrel 



SECOND SERIES — VOL. VIII. 3 N 



