750 MR. MORTON ALLPORT ON THE [Noy. 15, 
is pleasant neither to sight nor smell. But there is something ex- 
tremely ludicrous in the notes of these young birds, resembling, 
as they do, the shrill half hysterical laughter of a female exhausted 
by over indulgence in mirth. 
A few summers ago there was a brood of young Urracas in a 
tree close to my house. Every time we heard the parent bird hur- 
rying to her young with food in her beak we used to run to the 
door to hear them. As soon as the old bird reached the nest 
they would burst forth into such wild extravagant peals, and con- 
tinue them so long, that we could not but think it a rich amuse- 
ment to listen to them. When taken young, Urracas become very 
tame and make bold, noisy, mischievous pets, fond of climbing 
over and tugging at the clothes, buttons, and hair of their master 
or mistress. Though somewhat fierce-looking, the Urraca is the 
most peaceable of birds, never quarrelling with his fellows. Their 
food, like that of the Cuckoos, consists principally of large insects ; 
they also prey on mice and small reptiles, and in winter and 
spring may be seen following the plough to pick up worms in 
company with the Blackbirds, Gulls, and other species widely differing 
in their natures. I am, yours &e 
’ Whey 
Wituram H. Hupson. 
The following papers were read :— 
1. Additional Notes on the Introduction of Salmonide into 
Tasmania. By Morron Axzrort, F.Z.S., F.L.S. 
Dr. Giinther has written informing me that the Salmonoid sent 
to England at the end of last year, and referred to in my former 
paper*, was an example of Sea-trout (Salmo trutta). This determina- 
tion of the species would have sufficiently proved the success of the 
experiment as to one of the migratory Salmonidee, had not Dr. Giinther 
added the following remarks :—‘“‘I am informed that a lot of Sea- 
trout eggs were forwarded to Tasmania several years ago and hatched 
in May 1866. If you never on any other occasion received eggs 
of Salmo trutta, it would follow that this example is three and a half 
years old, and consequently a what may be called stunted individual, 
as a fish of that age ought to have attained to a larger size, and to 
exhibit a certain development of the sexual organs, of which no trace 
could be discovered in the individual sent. As it often, almost 
always, happens that individuals from the same lot of eggs are very 
unequally developed, the condition of this individual does not prove 
that its brethren are in an equally undeveloped state ; others may 
have attained to the normal size and weight.” 
Having carefully watched the progress of the fish in Tasmania, I 
am unable to reconcile this assumption, that the specimen sent to 
England must necessarily be 33 years old, with the facts. 
The Tasmanian Salmon Commissioners received but one shipment 
* P. Z. 8. 1870, p. 14. 
