444 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
due west up the current of the tide, playing on the surface. They had passed 
about half-way across the bay, and were about a mile from the sand, when a 
school of Porpoises (Delphis delphinus), over thirty in number, came up 
leisurely from the southward into the sand. After awhile they came across 
the track of the Mackarel, and a curious change took place. The whole school 
turned westward at once, and gave chase at racing speed after the Mackarel. 
In less than five minutes the Porpoises were in the midst of the Mackarel, 
and a very lively scene ensued. ‘The Mackarel rushed violently forward on 
the surface of the water, raising a white wave. Hundreds of fish were 
constantly leaping feet high out of the water at the same time, and all the 
while the black backs of the Porpoises, going in and out and backwards 
and forwards through their ranks, showed where they were dealing havoc. 
Thus engaged they passed out of sight round another point of land. I feel 
satisfied that the Porpoises could not have sighted the Mackarel when they 
turned to give chase, and therefore take it for granted they must have 
scented them.—Tsomas Cornisu (Prussia Cove, Marazion). 
Sorirary SNIPE IN NORTHAMPTONSHIRE.—A specimen of the Great or 
Solitary Snipe, Scolopax major, was shot yesterday (Sept. 13th) in a meadow 
on the Nen near Thorpe Waterville, by my friend and neighbour, Mr. George 
E. Hunt, of Wadenhoe House, who brought the bird to me; it weighs a little 
over seven ounces and three-quarters, and is a mass of fat. This is the 
first of this species which has been obtained in this neighbourhood in my 
recollection, though I saw one many years ago on a dry bean-stubble whilst 
I was loading my gun after firing both barrels at Partridges, and in spite 
of an hour's close search could not flush it again. Mr. Hunt, above 
mentioned, shot a bird very near the spot where he killed this Great Snipe, 
but he could not recover it; this was about this time of year some two or 
three years ago. I may mention that several persons have informed me of 
their having seen Solitary Snipes in this part of our county; but, in the 
majority of instances, these birds have proved on investigation to be Green 
Sandpipers, J'otanus ochropus, a common summer visitor to our streams 
aud ponds. ‘The heavy rains in July and the early part of August of the 
present year brought an unusual number of Common Snipes, Peewits, a few 
Curlews, and some Teal up our river valley ; and two Spotted Crakes, Crea 
porzana, an uncommon species with us, were shot by Mr. Hunt on 
August 19th in the meadow in which he killed the Great Snipe yesterday.— 
Lirrorp (Lilford Hall, Oundle). 
NIDIFICATION OF THE ReepD Warsier.—Mr. Seebohm’s remarks on 
the Reed and Marsh Warblers, in last month’s ‘ Zoologist’ (p. 877) suggest 
to me that the following notes on the nesting of the former species may be 
