THE ZooLocist—J anouary, 1876. 4757 
and this summer when my informant left Vassé, about the middle of July, 
they had already killed thirty-two, and expected to take several others 
before the season finished. The captain added that it was not a very paying 
business, but that Mr. Foyn was a very charitable gentleman and wished 
to find employment for the people. 1 think it very probable that the 
majority of the fin-whales which have been stranded of late years on the 
British coast may have been wounded in this fishery, and after death 
borne south by wind and currents to our shores. It would be interesting 
if any of your correspondents could give further particulars as to the way in 
which this fishery is carried on, and the precise mode of attack and weapons 
used.—T. Southwell; Norwich, December 10, 1875. 
Seal at Holbeton.—The following is from the ‘ Western Morning News’ 
of October 30th :—* On Tuesday last, whilst Mr. Revell, jun., of Keaton 
Farm, Holbeton, was walking on the cliffs, he perceived something unusual 
moving on the sands. Having his gun with him he at once took aim and 
shot it in the head. On coming up to his prize he found it to be a seal, 
measuring in length about three feet and a half, and weighing thirty-three 
pounds and a half. He conveyed it home, and subsequently it has been 
exhibited at Holbeton and Ivybridge, the majority of the people having never 
seen a seal before in the neighbourhood.” The seal was of the common 
species, Phoca vitulina.—John Gatcombe ; 8, Lower Durnford Street, Stone- 
house, Plymouth. 
Migration of Birds,—In the ‘ Zoologist’ for 1874 (S. S. 3834) appeared 
a communication from me on the appearance and stay of the martins and 
swallows at Looe in the month of November, 1873. Any one turning to 
it and comparing it with the comments made on it by Capt. Hadfield in 
the * Zoologist’ for December (S. 8. 4717) will see that he has mistaken, 
misunderstood and misquoted it: he mistakes it by attributing the Editor's 
query to me ; he misunderstands it so far as to apply it to general migration, 
whilst I only refer to the month of November; and he commits—to put it 
mildly—the great error of omitting portions of a sentence in one case and 
adding in another, so as to make the sentences suitable to his views. 
Having done this he proceeds to answer my supposed query in the following 
words :—‘ They were doubtless late broods; but it was not the ‘cold wind,’ 
as he seems to suppose, that had kept them from migrating, but want of 
power in these young birds to take so long a flight.”* However little I may 
know about the migration of birds, I certainly know that the cold wind of 
November could have no effect on the migration of the preceding month, 
and I can still as easily “entertain the idea” that it was the cold east 
wind that delayed them here for twelve days in November during a 
continuance of such a wind, leaving us immediately on a change of 
wind to the N.W., as I can believe that they were young birds, which 
SECOND SERIES—VOL. XI. E 
