Zoological Memoranda, by Mr James Hardy. 425 



dragging the boat stern foremost after it, much to the 

 alarm of its occupants. Before the tow rope could be cut, 

 the whale struck against the rocks across the mouth of the 

 haven, known as the Phills, where it lashed frightfully with 

 its tail, sending up quite a stream of water, A few shots 

 were fired at it, and another attempt was made to beach it, 

 but it again dashed off with the boat, and struck with great 

 force against the rocks, and received a severe stun. Advan- 

 tage was taken of this, and the monster was got on shore, 

 and secured by anchors and chains. On the tide ebbing it 

 was left high and dry, and soon died. The whale measures 

 22 feet in length, apd 14 feet in circumference. The blubber 

 has been taken out, and will yield a large quantity of oil. 

 The carcase was afterwards cut into three pieces, each piece 

 requiring the united efforts of three powerful horses to remove 

 it." Our President, in order to clear up doubts about the 

 identity of the animal, visited Newton, on March 18th, and 

 " interviewed " an intelligent fisherman. He writes : " The 

 animal was a ' Bottle-nose,' of which we had a shoal stranded 

 here, some years ago, on Shoreston Sands. The measurement 

 is fairly given in the extract; the computed weight was from 

 3^ to 4 tons. The yield of oil I could not ascertain ; but it 

 was in good condition, and proved a very favourable haul for 

 the fishermen." 



White Mole. — Mr Eobert Gibson, mole-catcher, Smail- 

 holm, caught a large white mole (a male), on the farm of 

 Brotherstone, near St. Boswell's. This is only the fourth^he 

 has caught during a long experience. ("Berwick Advertiser," 

 June 21, 1872.) [At Penmanshiel I had two white, or rather 

 yellow, moles, handed to me at the same time. Mr Boyd 

 has also seen this variety at Hetton.] 



Instinct of Mice. — My wheat stacks are sometimes built 

 with sticks placed in the centre, which are bound together 

 with oaten straw ropes. One of these was much infested 

 with mice ; but they had made their nests not of the stiff 

 wheat straw, but of the straw of the ropes, from its being 

 more pliant for twisting to the required shape ; almost every 

 particle of it having been nibbled off, and made a conveni- 

 ence of. 



The Hobby, (Falco subbuteo). — In the "Berwickshire 

 News," June 18, 1872, it is stated : " We have been shown, 

 by Mr Robert Wait, bird-stuffer, a very handsome male 



