270 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
cataract is not uncommon in dogs and cats among domestic animals, but I 
have not yet met with, or heard of a case, more especially of congenital 
cataract, in any bird.— ALLAN Maonas (King’s College Hospital). 
[We remember to have met with a case of congenital cataract in a Wild 
Duck, and published a note on the subject at the time. See ‘ The Field,’ 
Sept. 30th, 1871.—Ep.]. 
Hedgesparrow trying to mate with a Garden Warbler.—One of my 
larger aviaries contains the following birds:—A pair of Yellowhammers, a 
Reed Bunting, Hedgesparrow (female), Garden Warbler (male), Meadow 
Pipit (male), a Grey Wagtail and a Pied Wagtail. The Yellowhammers 
recently built in an Arbor vite, and during the progress of the building, 
which occupied them four or five days, I frequently noticed my Hedge- 
sparrow following the Garden Warbler about and trying to entice him to 
pair with her; on one occasion I noticed her behaving in a similar manner 
towards the Pied Wagtail, but both birds treated her with the utmost in- 
difference; the Meadow Pipit however strutted about in the greatest 
excitement, and tried in every way to make up to her, though she 
constantly gave a peck whenever he advanced near to her. Whether she 
has at last succeeded in gaining the affections of the Garden Warbler I 
cannot say, but she has deposited a clutch of eggs in the Yellowhammer's 
nest and is sitting steadily upon them, so that the evicted tenants have had 
to start afresh A. G. BuTLER (Penge Road, Beckenham). 
FISHES. 
Motella cimbria on the Norfolk Coast.—-Mr. Arthur Patterson, of 
Great Yarmouth, has sent me a sketch and description of a Four-bearded 
Rockling, Motella cimbria, which he found amongst the refuse left by the 
drawnetters on Yarmouth Beach, on May 28rd last. Its total length was 
83 inches, and from its stomach he took a full-grown brown shrimp. I am 
not aware that this species has been previously observed on the Norfolk 
coast.—T. SourHWELL (Norwich). 
[This fish, from the coasts of Northern Europe, must be regarded as 
rare around the British Isles. It was first noticed as British by Parnell, 
who found it in the Firth of Forth, and has been recorded from Banff, 
Aberdeen, St. Andrew's, Falmouth, and Penzance. We have not heard of 
its previous occurrence on the east coast of England. There is a good 
figure of it in Day’s ‘ British Fishes’ (plate 88) from a specimen eleven 
inches long. He states (i. p. 317) that the longest-recorded British 
specimen measured fourteen inches.—Ep-]. 
BATRACHIA. 
Bullfrog preying on Natterjack.—On April 27th, 1889, I visited the 
sand-hills near Southport, and captuied about sixty Natterjacks to turn 
