OCCASIONAL NOTES. 265 
(Schreber), which had been taken in a mouse-trap in his potato-house. His 
attention was directed to it by its having a white patch on the head. Its 
reddish colour, smaller size, more slender form, and longer ears readily 
distinguish it from the Common Meadow Vole. It is the first specimen 
I have been able to procure, though it has long been recorded as a 
Devonshire species, on the authority of the Rev. W. S. Hoare, in Rowe’s 
‘Perambulation of Dartmoor.’ There are no well-authenticated instances 
of its occurrence in this county. On presenting a small brush dipped in 
prussic acid to this example, I was surprised to see it at once commence to 
lick it, and it, of course, immediately died. An albino rat treated in the 
same way made frantic efforts to push the brush away from it with its paws, 
taking up handfuls of its bedding, and using it as a shield to protect its 
face, and it was only by flicking the poison at it that he succeeded in 
killing it.— W. S. M. D’Ursan (Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter). 
OrnrtrHotocicaL Nores From THorpe.—The following notes contain 
a brief record of birds seen and obtained between November, 1878, and 
April, 1879, on the Thorpe Mere, near Aldeburgh :—At the beginning of 
November a few large Black-backed Gulls came into the mere, but a greater 
number stayed outside in the open sea, with other Gulls and Divers, 
following the herrings. On the 15th November a fine specimen of the 
Red-necked Grebe was shot. This is not a very common member of 
the Grebe family with us. On the 18th December I obtained two Short- 
eared Owls. On the last day of the old year a fair number of Duck, Teal, 
and Widgeon came over with a great number of Gulls and a few Knots. 
On the 2nd January a Sanderling was brought to me. All the birds on 
the mere seemed to be suffering from cold, and to be in a very starved 
condition. I saw a strange sight one morning going down to the ice. All 
the Gulls from the mere had collected in one small garden. One of these 
birds, apparently on an exploring expedition for food, had found in the 
garden belonging to a ruinous uninhabited cottage a heap of offal, and 
some two or three hundred Gulls were soon assembled here. The strongest 
one (a fine old Herring Gull) stood on the top of the heap making a hearty 
breakfast, while the others flew round, screeching with anger, and fighting 
each other to obtain a place near the heap. I watched them for some 
time, coming quite close, but the birds, tamed by hunger, did not appear 
to be the least scared at my presence. On the 20th January a Razorbill 
was washed ashore, just alive, but without any power to help itself, disabled 
by hunger and cold. On January 25th a Glaucous Gull was shot, as 
already recorded by me (p. 135), and on the 26th two Scaup Ducks, both 
males. A large flock of Brent Geese flew over in the following week. 
Ou the 4th February a Razorbill was washed ashore dead; on the 24th 
2.1L 
