682 MR. P. L. SCLATER ON LEPTOSOMA DISCOLOR. [Nov. 28, 
/ 
4. Note oN THE Hasits oF THE Musquasu or NortH AMERICA. 
By Capt. G. E. ButcGer, Corr. Mems. 
One day, during the early part of the spring of 1849, I was ram- 
bling about the neighbourhood of the village of St. Valentines, near 
Isle-aux-Noix, in Canada East, with two friends, one of whom was 
accompanied by a tiny Spaniel of the King-Charles breed. Presently 
the little dog, which had been running on in front of us, began to 
bark, and, looking up, I beheld him engaged in a combat with some 
small darkly-coloured animal, of about his own size. I hastened to 
the spot, and soon ascertained the dog’s opponent to be a large Musk- 
rat (Fiber zibethicus), which showed no disposition to retreat on my 
approach, but maintained the conflict with a courage and ferocity I 
was quite unprepared for. Indeed, after some minutes, the little 
rodent was so evidently getting the best of the battle, that I judged 
it right to interfere, and, consequently, struck him with my stick. 
Instead of causing him to beat a hasty retreat, as I fully expected, 
this assault of mine only appeared to change the current of his rage, 
and render him still more angry than before. He at once quitted 
the dog (an arrangement apparently very gratifying to the latter), 
and attacked me, rising on his hind legs, and making charges at my 
stick, which, of course, I kept between us. This strange battle, 
solely defensive on my part, was maintained until I thought fit to 
terminate it by killing my savage little adversary, which I did easily 
with a blow on the head. The incident appeared to me to be so odd 
and unaccountable, that I at first fancied it must have been the re- 
sult of some peculiar idiosyncrasy on the part of the individual Musk- 
rat, and not characteristic of his race. However, I was soon disabused 
of this idea; for almost immediately afterwards I saw two more of 
my warlike little foes under the transparent ice. I broke the latter 
with my stick, just above where one of the animals was standing, 
and, possibly, touched him with some of the fragments. However, 
the result was an instant onslaught on his part, though he did not 
appear inclined to leave the water. Whenever I held the stick to 
him, he attacked it furiously, but he would not follow it out of the 
stream, and I eventually killed him in the same manner as the 
first one. 1 only met with one more during the remainder of the 
walk ; and with him also I had a spirited contest, similar, in most 
respects, to the one last described. 
5. On tHe SrructrureE or Lerrosoma piscotor. By P. L. 
Scuater, M.A., Pu.D., F.R.S., SecreTary TO THE SOCIETY. 
Since the time of Brisson and Levaillant, I am not aware that any 
original observations have been made upon one of the most abnormal 
types of the strange avifauna of Madagascar—the Leptosoma of 
Vieillot—although several attempts have been made to fit it into dif- 
ferent parts of the natural system. The collectors whe have re- 
cently obtained access into the interior of Madagascar have sent 
