438 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
curves just on the surface. I believe it is an uncommon thing for a snake 
to swim at any time of the year; I was certainly surprised to see one 
apparently enjoying itself in the water in October. The snake could 
easily have got to the other side of the valley by travelling a short way to 
either end of the pool, and when first seen it was apparently playing about 
in the water, so that I am inclined to think it was swimming for pleasure 
rather than of necessity.—E. W. H. Buaae (Cheadle, Staffordshire). 
[We do not regard it as anything remarkable for snakes to be found in 
or near water. Many instances of the common Ringed Snake and Viper 
swimming have come under our notice.—Eb.] 
FISHES. 
Large Whiting Pollack off the Land’s End.—The largest recorded 
Whiting Pollack (Lythe), Merlangus pollachius, was taken by Lord St. Leven 
off the Rundle Stone, near the Land’s End, in September last, and was 
sent for preservation to Mr. Rowe, of Lea Moor, near this place. It turned 
the scale at 24} Ibs., and from the tip of the upper jaw to the fork of the 
caudal fin it measured just three feet.—THomas CorNisH (Penzance). 
ARTHROPODA. 
Observations on a Japanese Spider. — The following is an extract 
from a letter dated ‘‘ Utsunomyea, Japan, July 7th, 1889,” written by 
Mr. Gervase Holmes, J.P., M.A.:—‘‘I saw a curious thing in Natural 
History yesterday that was quite new to me, and would be, I fancy, toa 
good many. The circumstance may be quite common, but I never heard 
of it. I was waiting in my balcony for the coming up of a thunder-storm, 
and just as it began to rain I saw a large spider, whose web was fixed at 
the corner of the house, unfasten the lower edges and begin furling it, 
rolling it up into a ball. This he did very quickly, then unfastened it from 
the top suspending line, and walked off with it to his den under the roof. 
This morning I see the same web is again set. When you come across a 
naturalist, I wish you would ask if this is a common occurrence, or 
whether it is peculiar to Japanese spiders. There is no doubt about the 
web being the same; I noticed yesterday that it was old and torn, and full 
of the remains of mosquitos, so I am sure I am not mistaken on that 
point.” 
[We have submitted this letter to the Rev. O. P. Cambridge, a well- 
known authority upon spiders, who writes in reply :—‘*On the above 
account I. would remark that it is well known that spiders of the family 
Epeiride roll up their webs and devour them; this is no doubt what the 
spider in question did, and then formed a new one. The formation of a new 
web is accomplished very often with marvellous rapidity, and insects, &c., 
coming into it at once would in a few hours, or less, give it the appearance 
