104 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
with the internal ear; that in those forms in which it has an 
auditory function we perceive two very distinct modifications: 
(1) in the marine Physoclisti or Physostomi a tubular prolongation 
of the air-bladder itself passes forwards to the interior of the 
skull, while in fresh-water Physostomi the connection is by means 
of a chain of auditory ossicles: that in such fishes as live the life 
of ground-feeders a still further modification of the air-bladder 
may occur, by its being more or less completely surrounded 
by osseous walls owing to a development of some of the parapo- 
physes of the anterior vertebree. 
OCCASIONAL NOTES. 
Wuire Sroats.—Seeing some remarks in reference to the rarity of 
white Stoats in ‘The Zoologist’ (p. 55), by Mr. G. B. Corbin, I beg to 
state that my keeper brought me the skin of a Stoat which he had caught 
in a trap on January 29th, which was completely white, with the exception 
of a very narrow dark brown line on the back of the neck, about a quarter 
of an inch long, and the characteristic black tip to the tail. As I did not 
see the animal before it was skinned, I am unable to say whether it had 
pink eyes or not.—E. J. Gurvow (Hopton, Thetford). 
ReporteD Discovery of THE Ecos or THE CuRLEW SANDPIPER.— 
At p. 425 of the last volume of ‘The Zoologist’ attention was. directed to 
Dr. Brewer’s announcement of the discovery in North Greenland by an 
American naturalist of the eggs of the Curlew Sandpiper, Tringa 
subarquata, hitherto unrepresented by authentic specimens in any collection. 
In the last number of ‘The Ibis’ (1879, p. 486), Capt. Feilden has 
criticised this report, and stated his reasons for believing that the 
discoverer has unintentionally fallen into some error. His remarks are so 
much to the point, and the subject is one of such interest to ornithologists, 
that no apology seems needed for giving wider publicity to his letter. 
Capt. Feilden says:— At page 375 of ‘The Ibis’ for 1879, Dr. T. M. 
Brewer, of Boston, U.S., records that Tinga subarquata has been dis- 
covered breeding in the district of Christianshaab, in the Inspectorate of 
North Greenland. If the circumstances of the case, as detailed by Dr. 
Brewer, bear investigation, and it is a fact that the Curlew Sandpiper has 
been found nesting in North Greenland, it is a very astonishing addition 
to the Ornithology of that region. I trust that I may not be deemed 
hypercritical or ungenerous in suggesting that, if the alleged nesting of 
