506 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



that in every September, which is about six weeks to two mouths before we 

 expect the large shoals from the north-west to strike our Cornish coast, 

 vast quantities of Pilchards would be lying about amongst the numerous 

 islands off the coast, accumulating apparently before their fiual start for the 

 deep sea. The few fishermen in the neighbourhood were only interested in 

 Herrings, and when, as they occasionally did, they caught a netful of these 

 Pilchards, they threw them away as useless. This note, coupled with my 

 former one (p. 431), points to two sources of Pilchard supply — one from the 

 deep seas south and south-west of Scilly, which gives us our summer supply 

 in the English Channel ; and the other from the deep sea on to the south- 

 west coast of Ireland, whence they furnish us with our winter supply in the 

 Bristol Channel. — Thomas Cornish (Penzance). 



On the occurrence of Paralepis coregonoides in Cornwall.— In the 

 September number of 'The Zoologist' (p. 381) I gave an extract from 

 the Journal of the late Mr. J. Couch, which rendered it almost certain 

 that an example of Paralepis coregonoides had been captured in Cornwall 

 on Juue 2nd, 1869, by Mr. Matthias Dunn. I have now the pleasure of 

 affording conclusive proof of this, for on a recent visit to the new Natural 

 History Museum, South Kensington, Dr. Gunther showed me the identical 

 specimen in spirit. The species therefore must be admitted among the rarer 

 wanderers to the south coast of England.— FBANOia Day (Cheltenham). 



Long-nosed Ray in the Ouse. — On November 16th, I noticed what 

 I believe was a Long-nosed Ray, Raia rostrata, hanging up in a fish- 

 monger's shop in Praed Street, Bayswater. It was remarkable that it was 

 taken in the River Ouse, near Bedford, some sixty or seventy miles from 

 the sea, and weighed 143^ Has. According to Yarrell, it is a deep-water 

 fish.— Fkancis P. Pascoh (1, Burlington Road, W.). 



On some newly observed Habits of Ceratodus Forsteri. — Of 

 twelve specimens of this fish, procured by Mr. Morton in the Mary River, 

 Queensland, one was taken in a net, the others were trapped by the blacks 

 by being forced through a narrow passage in the river formed by a kind 

 of brushwood. He noticed a curious circumstance as regards their habits. 

 At the time of his visit a number of Eucalyptus trees were in full flower by 

 the banks of the river, and as the blossoms dropped into the water they 

 were eagerly seized and swallowed by these fish. The stomachs of each of 

 the specimens captured were literally crammed with these flowers. An old 

 resident told Mr. Morton that during June to August these fish go in pairs ; 

 that they make slight indentations in the muddy bottom in from six to ten 

 feet of water, in which the spawn is deposited ; that the male and female 

 fish remain near the spawn, and are not then easily disturbed ; that they 

 frequent the same place every year, and that the spawn is frog-like. He had 



