Reptiles. 1643 



Occurrence of the Stormy Petrel (Procellaria pelagica) near Chipping Norton. — Two 

 of these birds have recently been brought to me, one of which was found dead, and in 

 rather a high state ; the other quite fresh, and in nice condition : it was whipped down 

 by a boy while in the field at work. The late storms at sea have probably driven these 

 birds away from their favourite element.— Thomas Goatley ; Chipping Norton. 



Occurrence of the Stormy Petrel near Knaresborough. — The high wind which has 

 prevailed during the last few days brought over, on Wednesday last, to New York, in 

 this neighbourhood, a fine specimen of the stormy petrel ( Thalissidroma pelagica). 

 It was so far exhausted as to allow a person to take it up in his hand, and when brought 

 to me was but just alive, and died shortly afterwards. — James C. Garth, Knaresborough, 

 October 26th, 1846. 



Occurrence of the Stormy Petrel at Halifax. — " Last week a stormy petrel was 

 picked up in Broad Street, Halifax, in a very exhausted state : it remained alive until 

 evening ; and had, no doubt, been driven so far inland by the recent stormy weather/* 

 — Illustrated London News. 



Anecdote of Sagacity in Frogs. — During one of those wet evenings in the beginning 

 of October, my attention was directed to a noise between the window and the shutter- 

 blind (or sun-blind) of the sitting-room of the house I was stopping at, in the quiet 

 village of Lindfield, in Sussex. I looked, but could not see what caused the noise : 

 presently the same noise occurred again ; and on looking a second time, T found it 

 proceeded from a fine frog climbing up the blind, and then jumping down again. I 

 took no particular notice of it, thinking the frog was taking shelter from the storm ; 

 but presently a second one made its appearance, acting in the same way as the first 

 one. Their actions in this way lasted for some time ; they then changed their mode 

 of climbing, and instead of having their backs to the inside of the room, turned about 

 and climbed up the window-frame, and looked into the room, jumping down to one 

 particular spot. Fancying they were attracted by the light, I took no further notice, 

 than occasionally looking at them, and retired to rest, leaving them in their snug re- 

 treat, as I thought, for the night, but what was my surprise when in opening the shut- 

 ter or sun-blind, the following morning, to find that a fine large frog had been caught 

 by the leg, and made a prisoner between the blind and the window. From this, I 

 think it not at all unreasonable to presume that our visitors, the evening before, had 

 been drawn to the spot by the cries of their captured brother ; and their climbing up 

 the blind, and especially the window, and looking into the room, was for the purpose 

 of imploring assistance to effect the escape of the imprisoned one. What makes it 

 still more striking, is, that when they jumped down from the blinds they always 

 jumped to the spot where the captive was. I have often heard of instances of saga- 

 city in dogs, horses, and even pigs, but never heard of it in frogs before. — Robert 

 Davis ; Belgrave Place, Pimlico. 



