469 ) 



NOTES AND QUEKIES. 



M AM M A L I A. 



Fidelity in the Dog. — The following instance of a dog's fidelity, 

 the truth of which I am able to vouch, seems to me to be worthy of 

 being recorded. About a fortnight ago the proprietor of the principal 

 inn in this village, who was also a large farmer, died. A few days 

 after the funeral a relative, who was unable to be present at it, came 

 over to see the widow, and on visiting the grave was surprised to find 

 a large hole scooped out in the soil beside it. Some men who w^ere 

 painting the church told her it had been made by the farm dog. 

 They had driven the animal away several times, and filled up the 

 hole, but it kept coming back, and scratched at the graveside as hard 

 as ever. The dog has now given up doing this, but it still visits the 

 grave four or five times every day, always returning home in a very 

 dejected state. During his master's last illness the family could 

 hardly keep the dog out of his bedroom ; but it is a mystery to 

 them how he knew where his old friend had been taken to, and was 

 able to pick out the right grave. The dog is a collie. — E. H. Kams- 

 BOTHAM (Elmhurst, Garstang). 



AVES. 



Late Swallows. — A solitary Swallow — a bird of the year — was 

 hawking for food near my house on Nov. 12th ; the previous note 

 that I have of any being seen in this district was Oct. 12th, when 

 about one hundred Swallows and House-Martins were along the 

 Severn meadows. In only one other instance have I ever seen the 

 Swallow in the Midland counties later than October, and that at 

 Sutton Coldfield Park, Warwickshire, Nov. 2nd, 1890, when two 

 were together. — J. Steele Elliott (Dowles Manor, Shropshire). 



In my last communication {ante, p. 433), for "Pouthill" read 

 " Southill."— J. S. E. 



On the Increase and the Habits of Jackdaws in Islay. — The 



increasing numbers of Jackdaws {Corviis monedula) on this island are 

 very noticeable. I have recently gathered a few particulars from the 

 keepers here which may be worth recording. The increase of Jack- 

 daws has been accompanied by a decrease of Choughs {Pyrrhocorax 



