220 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



sheep, though I would not undertake to say they never occur on that 

 animal. — L. Blomefield (Bath). — From Nature. 



[Our readers may not all be aware that under the signature " L. Blome- 

 field" they have a communication from a very well-known zoologist. The 

 Rev. Leonard Jenyns, with whose excellent ' Manual of British Vertebrates,' 

 published in 1835, we are all familiar, some years since changed his name 

 to Blomefield, and went to reside at Bath, where we are happy to hear 

 he is still living in good health, and taking almost as keen an interest as 

 ever in Natural History. — Ed.] 



MAMMALIA. 



A Pied Shrew. — On March 21st I caught a pied example of the 

 common Shrew (Sorex (tremens, Linn.). It is a small specimen, having 

 part of the head and body of the normal colour, but that of the latter 

 interrupted by a white band, which encircles nearly the whole of the body 

 at the loins, being widest below, and extending over about half the surface 

 of the abdomen, where it takes an irregular form, the edges, however, 

 being everywhere sharply defined. There is in addition to this a patch on 

 one side of the head and neck, of silvery or hoary grey, shaded off gradually 

 into the hue of the surrounding parts, and apparently occasioned by the 

 occurrence of white or whitish hairs among those of the legitimate colour. — 

 G. T. Rope (Blaxhall, Wickham Market). 



BIRDS. 



Notes on Ornithology from Devonshire.— An immature specimen ot 

 the Pomatorhine Skua was shot on the Exe in November last. At the 

 same time a flock of Brent Geese visited the estuary of the Exe, and some 

 were killed. Hardly anything of interest occurred in this neighbourhood 

 during the winter, birds of all kinds being remarkably scarce. Very few 

 Redwings have been seen, and I have not noticed a single Fieldfare, 

 though a friend saw two or three. A fine adult Great Black-backed Gull 

 was shot on the Exe at the beginning of February. Sparrows were 

 building on the 10th of that month, and several Rooks' nests were partially 

 built in the close of Exeter Cathedral, and by the 22nd a good many more 

 nests were built there, but elsewhere Rooks had not commenced to build 

 before the 24th. On the 28th a Bittern was shot at the mouth of the 

 River Clyst, four miles from Exeter. On the 10th March a Black-headed 

 Gull in full summer plumage was killed at Cullumpton. A few individuals 

 of this species may be seen throughout the autumn, winter, and spring 

 on the river at Exeter Quay. The adults have remained here till within 

 the last few days (8th April), and there are still some immature birds of 

 last year to be seen. They appear to remain much later here than at 



