NOTKS AND QUERIES. 345 



Broad Oak Forest, all of them sprung, as we believe, from this solitary 

 hind." 



Cat attacked by a Swallow. — Whilst walking in my garden not long 

 ago my attention was drawn to an unusual screaming of Swallows, and on 

 turning around I perceived ray little kitten looking very frightened and 

 uncomfortable in the drive, about thirty yards from the house. To my 

 surprise this was caused by a Swallow which swooped down several times 

 and actually touched the Cat, making her jump round in a most ludicrous 

 fashion. The movement of the bird was so rapid that I could not see if it 

 touched the Cat with its beak or claws, but it certainly did with one or the 

 other. Poor Puss seemed too startled to move at first (except simply to 

 look round at the same spot), but eventually she fairly bolted with tail erect 

 (after the manner of Cats when Tim the Terrier is after them), closely 

 pursued by the Swallow until out of sight. I fetched Kitty again, and 

 placed her on the same spot, but directly she heard the scream of the 

 Swallow away she went as fast as her legs would carry her. I have often 

 seen Swallows hover and heard them scream around a Cat, but never before 

 saw one venture so close.— J, G. Hamling (The Close, Barnstaple). 



White Stoat in August.— I recently examined in the flesh a pure 

 white Stoat {Mustela erminea), which was shot by Mr. J. S. Phillips, of 

 Llandovery Court, Usk, on August 3rd, and forwarded by him with another 

 of the normal colour to the Editor of ' The Field.' August 3rd is an 

 unusually early date at which to find a Stoat in complete winter pelage, 

 and in this case there was no trace anywhere of the brown colour which so 

 often appears (even in mid-winter sometimes) in little patches on the head 

 or back, the fur being of a uniform pale yellowish white. It was still 

 further remarkable in having no black tip to the tail, a peculiarity which I 

 have never before observed in any Stoat killed in this country, although 

 such variation from the usual type, I believe, ha^ been noticed occasionally 

 in the northern parts of North America and Canada. In the specimen 

 now referred to, which was one of average size, the eyes were not pink, but 

 of the usual dark brown colour. It has been preserved for exhibition in 

 the Natural History Museum, South Kensington. — J. E. Harting. 



Hedgehog eating Swedes. — My brother, the Rev. W. Bond, of 

 Edgton Vicarage, Aston-on-Clun, Shropshire, writing to me on July 2nd, 

 says:— "Another thing I have lately heard is news to me, but which 

 I have no doubt is perfectly true, as 1 have heard it from two respectable 

 persons. Directly opposite my house was a field of swede-turnips last 

 winter. The larmer noticed that some animal was taking great liberties 

 with them ; thinking rabbits were the delinquents, he set some snares, but 

 had no success. A small spinney runs along one side of the field, which 

 the landlord reserves, and it is under the charge of a woodman. The 



