136 MISCELLANEOUS NOTICES AND OBSERVATIONS. 



Ballast Hills Botany, published in Trans. Tynes. Nat. Field Club, 

 Yol. V, Part II.— John Hogg, F.R.S., Aug. 4, 1864. 



On Water Shreios. — On November 6th, as I was walking be- 

 tween Norton and Billingham, I found near the rivulet on the 

 Billingham side a dead Shrew-mouse, which had been recently 

 killed. At first I concluded that it was Sorex fodiens, the Water- 

 shrew, which I had once before, viz., on October 22nd, 1832, 

 seen in this vicinity. The specimen I then noticed was swim- 

 ming swiftly in a pool of water, but I was unable to capture it. 

 The animal I found last Sunday, on examination, clearly differs 

 from S. fodiens in being more black on the back, its belly not 

 a clear white, and not having the lines of separation of those 

 colours strongly marked on the sides. I find indeed the speci- 

 men to be S. remifer, the "Oared Shrew." Its hind feet are 

 larger than the S. fodiens, and are edged with stronger hairs or 

 cilia, which are of much assistance to it in swimming. The 

 tail, too, differs in being square at the base, and flattened at the 

 tip. The colour on the throat and breast is chestnut, or brown- 

 yellow. Its snout is not so sharp as that of the former and more 

 common species, and it is more flattened. Its body also seems 

 somewhat thicker. 



In this neighbourhood both the Water Shrew and the Oared 

 Shrew are extremely rare, for I have only seen one of each spe- 

 cies ; and having for full forty years been a shooter, frequenting 

 our ditches and rivulets for snipes and water birds, I have never 

 met with these aquatic Shrews but on the occasions here men- 

 tioned. I am inclined to think that the "Water Shrews are 

 abroad chiefly late in the evening, and perhaps at night, and 

 so probably escape the notice of most observers. They are 

 very pretty and interesting little animals ; and their habits, &c, 

 require to be more carefully investigated. — Ibid, Nov. 9, 1864. 



Note on Lathyrus grandiflorus, (Sims.) — Having this last au- 

 tumn found one of the many plants of this beautiful Lathyrus, or 

 Vetchling, (which have growu in my garden here, for very many 

 years, ) bearing a pod, with seeds in it, and as no one has ever 



