112: THE ZOOLOGIST. 
young Crake, evidently not more than an hour or two out of the shell, and 
too young to walk or run, but happily uninjured by the machinery. ‘The 
old bird now laid down her helpless young one, and returned, apparently 
to look for the rest of the brood. The workman, however, having meantime 
found another, laid it beside the first; which, doubtless, the mother removed 
to a safe place, as on looking for them soon afterwards, all had disappeared. 
—M. Attison (Hollywood, Mulhuddart, Dublin). 
Tue HepripaL ARGENTINE.—A most interesting fish was captured in 
Loch Alsh, near the Skye shore, last October, by a fisherman using a 
hand-line, the hook being baited with a piece of mussel. Yarrell, who 
received an example six inches and a half long from Glasgow, in 
November, 1837, termed it the ‘ Hebridal Argentine”; it likewise was 
taken on a hand-line, in the Bay of Rothsay, about two hundred yards 
from the shore, in twelve-fathom water, where, though it was said to be 
well known, it was but rarely seen. Another, eight inches long and full of 
roe, was secured near the same place in June, 1836. A third has also been 
recorded from Redcar, captured in May, 1852. It appears to frequent the 
coast of Norway as well as that of Scotland, while a fish was washed ashore 
on the South Spit, Hokitika, New Zealand, which is described by 
Mr. Clarke in the ‘ Transactions of the New Zealand Institute,’ 1878, 
p. 296, vol. xi., as Argentina decagon, which exactly agrees with the 
example of the Hebridal Argentine (Argentina Hebridica), now lying 
before me. Although Yarrell observed that it was “well known, but 
rarely seen,” it does not appear that examples exist in our public museums. 
Couch observes that this fish ‘is not rare in the sea near the islands to the 
north of Scotland,” but omits giving his authority for this statement, 
irrespective of which, he did not procure a specimen, and therefore inserted 
a figure from Schneider which is very unlike the Hebridal Argentine. 
The beautiful shining scales of this fish, its flat back, flat sides, and almost 
flat under surface, give it the appearance of being tetragonal. There are 
many questions as to its habits and internal anatomy which still require to 
be investigated. It is believed that, in Europe, it lives at great depths, and 
never enters fresh water. In Norway it is stated to be usually captured 
after cold and stormy weather. Mr. Clarke suggests whether, if his species 
is identical with the European form, it had worked its way sub mare in 
the cold strata of water from the northern to the southern hemisphere.— 
Francis Day (Kenilworth House, Pittville, Cheltenham). 
Lave stay OF PiILcCHARDS AND EARLY ARRIVAL“OF MACKEREL ON THE 
CornisH# Coasr.—A circumstance which has no precedent within the 
memory of the oldest fishermen here seems worth recording- Usually the 
Pilchard season ends on our coast at St. Ives with November. Occasionally 
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