ON THE CHANGE OF COLOUR IN THE BOAR-FISH. 383 
old familiar notes of the Thrush. The note rang out clear 
and high, and somehow sounded strangely unfamiliar amongst 
English meadows and English oaks. Then looking farther, and 
watching about the hedges there, I soon found that the bird was 
not alone; there were three or four pairs of Redwings in close 
neighbourhood, all evidently bent upon remaining to breed. To 
make quite sure I shot one. Afterwards I found a nest, and 
had the pleasure of seeing the young birds come to maturity, 
and fly.” 
Whoever the author of ‘ Wild Life in a Southern County’ 
may be, he has evidently some knowledge of Ornithology, and 
his knowledge, moreover, has been derived from personal obser- 
vation.* It is, therefore, no small gratification to me to find that 
it may now be considered within the bounds of possibility that 
I did hear the song of the Redwing in Oxfordshire on the occasion 
to which I have referred. 
ON THE CHANGE OF COLOUR IN THE BOAR-FISH, 
AND THE GROWTH OF THE TURBOT. 
By Francis Day, F.L.S. 
In the tanks of the Westminster Aquarium are five examples 
of the Boar-fish, Capros aper, which are well worthy of a visit 
from anyone interested in observing how fishes may change 
colour under altered conditions of life. 
On the 18th of June I happened to be present when sixteen 
examples arrived from Mr. Dunn, of Mevagissey, and, never 
having seen them in a state of nature, I took notes respecting 
their appearance. They were all of a rich red hue, as observed 
in some Gold Carp, while most of them had a dark band over the 
base of the tail just before the origin of the caudal fin; the outer 
edge of the ventrals was also dark-tipped. One had faint traces 
of vertical bands, and another had a row of black spots along the 
base of the dorsal fin. 
On July 12th I again visited these fish. The tank in which 
they are placed is rather dark, while the water is not very clear. 
They all seem in good health, are lively, but strangely altered in 
* Since this book was published anonymously, the author, Mr. Richard Jefferies, 
has in subsequent volumes disclosed his name.—En. 
