Mollusks. 1035 



in the most favourable weather, without meeting with either serpent or lizard. It is 

 the opinion of some that they are most abundant on the approach of an electric storm, 

 but this is contrary to my experience. The same individuals affirm that the bite of 

 the viper is then more dangerous than usual ; this may be true, although it is not 

 proved : they maintain also that innocent snakes become at the same time venomous, 

 which is assuredly false. The subject of this memoir is perhaps of all reptiles the 

 most capricious, both as to locality and time of appearance. I make these remarks in 

 the hope of directing a little attention to this interesting though obscure subject. A 

 long series of careful observations would be necessary to prove whether the appearance 

 of reptiles stands in fixed connexion with any meteorological changes ; and especially 

 with the electric state of the atmosphere. — J. W. Slater ; Fairfield, June 30, 1845. 



Anecdote of Pike. As I was walking by a piece of water on Christmas-day, 1843, 

 I saw a pike lashing his tail out of water. On getting it out, I found two pike, of 

 about a pound weight each, the head of one being entirely within the other's mouth, 

 the snout coming out at the gills of the fish that was holding it. They seemed nearly 

 exhausted with their exertions. Once during the spawning season, I hooked a pike ; 

 when getting it out in the landing-net, another pike followed it voluntarily into the 

 net. The fish that was hooked was about 3 lbs., and its mate 2 lbs.— E. J. Stanley ; 

 Alderley Park, Cheshire. 



Capture of the Fishing-frog. A specimen of the fishing-frog (Lophius piscatorius) 

 was taken the other day by a man whilst shrimping on Hessle Sand, in the Humber. 

 Bentley Locke ; Hessle Mount, Hull, May 9, 1845. 



Migrations of Salmon. About a year and a half ago, Lord Glenlyon, with the 

 praiseworthy motive of deciding the long-agitated question as to whether the salmon, 

 after returning to the ocean from its spawning-ground, again resought the same river 

 on another return of the season, caused a number of kelts, or foul fish, to be caught 

 and marked, by attaching a label, by a ring, to what is called the dead fin of each. 

 Last summer a number of these were captured on various stations in the Tay, but, so 

 far as we can learn, none in the Earn ; on Tuesday last, another was caught at the 

 Rashbush, a fishing-ground below Inchyra. This fish was in excellent condition, and 

 weighed 21 lbs. The label bore as follows : — " Lord Glenlyon, Dunkeld, No. 129." 

 Perth Advertiser. 



Carnivorous propensity of Snails. In former numbers (Zool. 201, 257, 943) have 

 been given several instances, proving that snails feed on Coleoptera, and are thus far 

 akin to animals that live on prey. The object of the present notice is to record an in- 

 stance where beetles, not snails, were the aggessors ; as also, to state some grounds for 

 believing that snails are really carnivorous. While entomologizing a week or two ago, 

 I found under a stone a moderately sized black slug (Limax ater), that, judging from 

 its shrivelled appearance, had been dead for some time. This I found to be an object 

 of considerable attention on the part of the larva of Omaseus melanarius ? (the most 

 common species near) and five of Tachinus apicalis. The larva was placed on the one 

 side, and the Tachini were huddled together on the other. They had made an inci- 

 sion about the breast, where the viscera protruded, and were manifestly imbibing the 

 delicacies thus presented, when the unwelcome intrusion of light scattered the " black 



