NOTES AND QUERIES. 129 



Waxwing in South Lincolnshire.— On the 13th Dec. a nice specimen 

 of this bird was shot on the coast of Lincolnshire, and sent to me. There 

 are six wax-tips on each wing. The bird was in good condition, and had 

 heen feeding upon the berries of the mountain-ash. — J. Cullingford 

 (University Museum, Durham). 



Eider Duck in Nottinghamshire. — A female Eider Dnck was shot on 

 November 16th in the meadows near Nottingham, where it was no doubt 

 attracted by the large floods, many acres there being under water. This is 

 the first time it has been obtained in this county, and makes the Nottingham- 

 shire list to number 240 species, which, considering it is an inland county, 

 is a large number. — J. Whitaker (Rainworth). 



Missel Thrush and Chaffinch nesting in proximity.— A Chaffinch 

 built in an apple tree in my garden last May on one side of a walk, on the 

 other side of which was a Missel Thrush's nest in another apple tree. 

 This corroborates the observations of Mr. Christy mentioned at pp. 3 1 and 

 32. — R. J. Ussher (Cappagh, Co. Waterford). 



REPTILE S. 



Smooth Snake in Surrey. — Mr. Axford, in 'The Zoologist' for 

 February, in commenting on my discovery of Coronella Icevis at Chobham 

 Ridges (not " Bridges," as erroneously printed), suggests that it was either 

 injured, or a tame one. I am quite sure it was uninjured, and think in 

 such a locality it is most improbable that it was a tame one. I am more 

 inclined to think that the chilliness of the evening — it was just about 

 sunset — may have made it sleepy. — Henry N. Ridley (Natural History 

 Museum, South Kensington). 



B ATRACHIANS. 



Habits of the Edible Frog. — Apropos of Mr. Rope's accurate account 

 of the habits of this species (p. 49), I quote a brief extract from my journal, 

 under date Sept. 15th, 1881: — "Found to-day, in about three inches of 

 stagnant water, some fine tadpoles of E. escidenta, nearly as large as fully- 

 developed frogs ; they had for the most part only the posterior legs pro- 

 truded. They are very expert in avoiding capture, darting away for a 

 little distance, and then assuming a position of apparent repose. When 

 thus at rest the colour of these tadpoles serves admirably for protec- 

 tive purposes, it being by no means easy to detect the ugly little 

 monsters upon a muddy brown surface. After leaving the water, 

 the young R. esculenta wanders to a considerable distance from that 

 element ; should it be alarmed, however, in the immediate neigh- 

 bourhood of water, it generally makes for the water like its elders." I 

 may mention that the colour of these little frogs is of a colour approxi- 



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