208 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
farm, when they were attracted by an exciting performance going on in one 
of the tiny pools. Approaching cautiously they were surprised to see an 
excited Water Shrew, Sorex fodiens, frantically diving, and after some 
attempts seize a small chub-headed fish, with all the pluck and ferocity of 
an Otter poaching in a salmon-stream. The fish after being seized made 
frantic efforts to escape, but quite unsuccessfully, till the Shrew, per- 
ceiving he was watched, let go his hold, the fish instantly sinking to 
the bottom, and the fierce little animal darting away for some harbour 
of refuge in the bank. ‘They were much surprised at the performance, 
more particularly at the length of time the Shrew remained under water.— 
Tuomas Hopkins (Limber Grange, Uleeby, Lincolnshire). [Communicated 
by Mr. Cordeaux. | 
Fuient oF THE ALBaTROss.—When watching the Albatross one is 
struck with the fact that the bird gets up to windward without appearing to 
use his wings to a degree sufficient to account for the same. ‘The sailors 
are satisfied with the explanation that he beats to windward. The conditions 
are of course not analogous to those of a ship sailing to windward. If the 
wind be very light, or if there be a calm, occasional powerful and obvious 
flapping of the wings occurs. If there is no wind, the birds often settle on 
the water round the ship. In very heavy weather the birds disappear 
altogether, probably settling on the water. Except that for breeding they 
resort to the islands, I believe they frequent the open ocean, where the 
surface is seldom without more or less swell. On watching the flight of the 
Albatross one observes that, in order to rise from the water, violent and 
obvious flapping of the wings is necessary, which is continued some time 
after the wings cease to strike the water. After a start has thus been 
effected, if there is a fresh breeze, the wings are kept almost motionless. 
Sometimes the bird goes some distance with the impetus derived from the 
flapping of the wings at the start, but sooner or later he turns so as to 
expose the plane surface of his wings full to the force of the wind, rising at 
the same time some height above the water, and drifts off to leeward, thus 
soon acquiring the velocity of the wind: then swooping down into the 
hollow between two swells, he turns his head to windward, and, keeping 
close to the surface of the water, sails along more or less against the wind 
for a surprising distance; finally, rising over the crest of a wave 
comparatively high into the air, and turning with his wings as before, so as 
to catch the wind to the fullest extent, he again lets himself drift off to 
leeward. ‘Thus the manceuvre he performs seems to consist in drifting with 
the wind in such a way as to attain its velocity very soon, and then turning 
rourd so as to make use of this velocity to carry him in the contrary 
direction. Of course if he still remained exposed to the wind which had 
imparted to him its velocity he would not travel far against it before he came 
