7146 Birds, S^c. 



I trust that these reraarts will not be deemed unnecessary by those who are competent 

 to deal with the matter.— Alfred Newton; Elvedon, February 2», 1860. 



Occurrence of the Whimbrel (Nuraenius pbseopus) in Cambridgeshire. — A friend 

 of mine has sent me a fine specimen of the whimbrel, wliich he shot at Caldecot, in 

 this county, on the 4th of May, 1860. The whimbrel may be considered an un- 

 common bird in Cambridgeshire, only one or a pair occasionally occurring, and then 

 in some of our fenny districts, or more commonly in a turnip field, the young tops of 

 which it is particularly partial to. — S. P. Saville ; Jesus Terrace, Cambridcje. 



Toads falling in a Shower of Rain. — I was out insect-catching by the side of the 

 river Waveney, about a quarter-past 9 on Frid.iy nii,'ht, when a thunder-storm came 

 on. I ran for shelter to ihe buildings at Aldeby Hail. The rain came down in tor- 

 rents. Just before 1 was clear of the feus I observed some small loads on my arms, 

 and several fell in my net, and on the ground and paths there were thousands. I am 

 quite sure there were none in my net before I started, as I took a Leucania pudorina 

 out of it. I believe they fell with the rain out of the clouds. Can you enlighten me 

 on the subject ? Two other persons have told me that they met with the same occur- 

 rence some distance from the spot in which I was situated. — W. Winter ; Aldeby, 

 July 23, I860. 



[I believe I have rather a disagreeable tendency to smile at showers of fish, frogs 

 and toads ; and my correspondent appears to have an idea that I shall be incredu- 

 lous : nevertheless, I feel it a duty to insert this communication, simply remarking 

 that the fact of toads covering the pathways and ground is by no meaus corroborative 

 of the supposition that " they fell with the rain out of the clouds :" I think rather the 

 reverse. — Edward Newman.'] 



Gossip on Spiders. By R. H. Meade, Esq. 



Several years have passed away since I first endeavoured to excite 

 an interest in the study of British spiders through the medium of the 

 * Zoologist;' and though the difficulties attending the investigation of 

 the subject (the principal of which has been the want of any English 

 systematic work upon these animals) have prevented my attempts 

 from meeting with all the success I could have desired, yet, judging 

 from the numerous communications that I have received at different 

 times from naturalists in almost all parts of the United Kingdom, the 

 seed sown has borne some fruit. 1 am proud to think that I have 

 been the meaus of inducing one or two entomologists to take up 

 Arachnology in earnest, and have thus indirectly tended to advance 

 our knowledge of English spiders. I may especially mention the 

 name of my friend Mr. Fickard -Cambridge, who has himself dis- 



