868 Zoological Notes. 



The Red or Common Squirrel fSciurus vulgaris J. 



This squirrel has made its appearance in the High House 

 wood and Hulne Park, belonging to the Duke of Northum- 

 berland, in the parish of Alnwick. The late Mr Tate, in the 

 year 1868, gave an interesting notice of the gradual increase 

 of this little animal in the county, tracing its progress from 

 Roxburghshire and Berwickshire ; and stated that at that 

 time it had not made its appearance in the Alnwick district.* 

 The " Alnwick Mercury " of January 20, 1872, contains an 

 account of some mischievous youths hunting a poor squirrel 

 in Hulne Park, wherein it is stated that those animals had 

 been introduced by the Duke of Northumberland. I am 

 assured by Mr Foulger, his Grace's gamekeeper, that they 

 were not introduced; but there is no doubt of their presence 

 in the localities named. 



Robert Middlemas. 



How the Hermit Crab fPagurus BernhardusJ escapes 

 from a Trap, 



Hermit Crabs, which occupy the empty shells of Buccinum 

 undatum, at times obtain admission to the fishermen's crab- 

 creels, being enticed by the bait. They are brought into the 

 boats enclosed in the shells, but there are instances where 

 " buckies " are taken without inmates — and they could not 

 have walked in without them ; whence the belief is that the 

 cunning hermit, conscious of being entrapped, and also that 

 the narrow meshes of the creels are impervious while they 

 remain encumbered with their shells, strip offtheii temporary 

 great-coats, and having thus reduced their bulk, slip out and 

 so escape. This is an old expedient with them, brought 

 forward to meet the exigency ; for at previous stages of their 

 progress to maturity, they were over and over again com- 

 pelled to exchange their smaller domiciles for others more 

 capacious. It is, however, worth recording the recourse they 

 have to it, to release themselves from involuntary confine- 

 ment. This crab's hinder integuments being soft and yielding, 

 its successive withdrawals from the polished interior of 

 univalves are easily accomplished. 



James Hardy. 

 * Proceedings B. N. Club, Vol. V., p. 442. 



