OCCASIONAL NOTES. 187 



Variety of Mole.— Some years ago I sent a note to the pages of ' The 

 Zoologist ' on the occurrence, in this neighbourhood, of a few specimens of 

 " cream-coloured " Moles. Since last autumn I have seen several specimens 

 of a similar colour, suspended with many of their black relations upon the 

 bushes which the Mole-catcher appropriates as a gibbet for his captures. 

 Perhaps the term "cream-coloured" scarcely describes the variety in ques- 

 tion, for although the upper parts of tbe body are of a creamy buff hue, yet 

 all the under parts are of a brownish red, or brownish orange colour. I 

 believe I have seen the record of the occurrence of similar varieties in 

 several other localities, but are they of general distribution, and do they 

 occur regularly or only at intervals? In this neighbourhood they are some- 

 what uncertain in their appearance, and seem to affect particular localities. 

 — G. B. Corbin (Ringwood). 



Occurrence of the Grey Seal off the Norfolk Coast. — On 

 December 24th, 1881, one of the Trinity pilots, whilst in the neighbourhood 

 of the Long Sand in the Lynn Roads, saw a very large Seal, watching over 

 the dead carcase of a recently-born young one. On attempting to capture 

 the old one she immediately showed fight, and had to be killed before she 

 could be secured. Through the kindness of Mr. F. J. Cresswell and 

 Mr. Garrod, of Lynn, I have had the opportunity of examining the skius 

 of both individuals, which are unquestionably those of the Grey Seal, Hali- 

 chcerus gryphus. The old female measured seven feet one inch in total 

 length, and five feet nine inches in girth behind tbe fore nippers ; the claws 

 were very long, the first two measuring two inches and a-half and two inches 

 and a-quarter respectively. The general colour was yellowish buff, indis- 

 tinctly with spots and blotches of dark brown. The young one was a 

 beautiful silvery white, the muzzle sooty grey, a slight tinge of the same 

 colour being visible on the back of the head and for some distance along the 

 spine. Unfortunately the skull of the old Seal was not preserved. I have 

 for some time suspected that this species occasionally visits the sands in 

 the Wash, as I have heard of large Seals being seen or killed, which could 

 scarcely be any other than the Grey Seal. Mr. Cordeaux also tells me that 

 some years ago he saw on the same sand a large Seal, which he believes 

 belonged to this species ; it was in company with several Common Seals and 

 " was a veritable Triton amongst the Minnows, looming like a big bullock 

 in the haze." — T. Southwell (Norwich). 



Nesting of the Long-tailed Titmouse. — I should like to ask other 

 observers at what height from the ground the nest of the English Long- 

 tailed Tit (Acredula rosea) is generally placed ? There is now in a large oak 

 tree of mine here, a Long-tailed Tit's nest, at least fifty feet from the 



