Fishes.— Mollusks. 3913 



1843, (Zool. 321) ; and while on the subject, I may as well mention one instance which 

 has fallen within my knowledge. In a hot-bed in the above-mentioned garden a toad 

 was wont to take possession of a particular corner. This proceeding, however, was not 

 approved of, and the toad was unceremoniously carried to the other end of the garden 

 and thrown over the ha-ha into the field. To our astonishment, however, the snug lit- 

 tle corner of the hot-bed was not long without its tenant ; in a day or two the toad was 

 found again on its form. How did he get up the wall of the ha-ha, and what instinct 

 led him back to his favourite haunt ? We have yet much to learn about the Amphi- 

 bia, for, disgusting as they used to seem to most people, they are now found to be a 

 family perhaps more curious in their economy, and more interesting in their habits, 

 than any other; and I trust that I shall see before long something more on this and 

 other subjects connected with them in the pages of the ' Zoologist.' — Alfred Merle 

 Norman ; Clevedon, May 13, 1853. 



[Far be it from me to discourage any inquiry like this into the supposed departure 

 from a law of Nature in the reproduction of metamorphotic reptiles : but we must not 

 overlook difficulties that stand in the way of our receiving an hypothesis like this ; 

 such, for instance, as the following : — Suppose it impossible, or even improbable, for 

 the small frogs and toads to gain access to the places where they have been found, is 

 it not equally impossible and improbable for the parents to get there ? Are not the 

 parents larger than the children ? To receive the hypothesis in full, we must also 

 receive another and older hypothesis, — that of spontaneous generation ! — Edward 

 Newman .] 



Occurrence of the Lump Sucker (Cyclopterus Lumpus) at Lynn. — A fine male ex- 

 ample of this fish was caught in our harbour yesterday, measuring about a foot in 

 length. It was of a bright red tint, which has however changed to-day into a dull 

 brown. Our fishermen are catching small herrings and smelts, which may serve to 

 account for its presence in the estuary, but the force of the flowing tide must account 

 for its being so high in the river. Is it probable that the pair had entered the river 

 for the purpose of spawning? — Edward L. King ; Lynn, March 31, 1853. 



List of Land and Fresh-water Shells found in the Neighbourhood of 

 Sudbury. By William Doubleday King, Esq. 



Encouraged by observing thai the inland Conchology of our own 

 country has of late obtained occasional notice in the ' Zoologist/ 1 

 venture to send a list of such species of land and fresh-water shells as 

 have occurred in this neighbourhood. 



By far the greater part have been found within a mile of the town 



of Sudbury ; the remainder at a distance not exceeding two or three 



miles. The Stour, frequently overflowing the low meadows close to 



the town, leaves a considerable drift of weeds &c. upon its banks, 



xi. 2 c 



