Mollusks. 1503 



until the vessel made land. On another voyage when the ship was near Lisbon, a 

 large flock of swallows came and settled on the rigging. They were four or five hun- 

 dred in number, and clung and clustered to the shrouds in a remarkable manner. The 

 time was the last week in April, and although late for the migration of these birds to 

 our shores, they were, doubtless, on their passage to them. After recruiting themselves, 

 they again took wing and continued their route. A redbreast also came and settled 

 on the deck of the vessel when it was about seventy miles from land, probably driven 

 out to sea by high winds which were blowing at the time. — J.J. Brigys ; Kings 

 Newton, Melbourne. 



Alligator Oil. — A letter from St. Augustine, dated April 12th, says : — " I suppose 

 that you may not have heard that we have discovered the utility of alligators. An al- 

 ligator is found to be as valuable in his way as a spermaceti whale. An expedition 

 has left this place for the River of St. John's and the dark tributary stream of Black 

 Creek, swarming with these hideous creatures, with the view of killing them to obtain 

 their oil. The oil of the alligator is said to be better for lamps than even whale oil ; 

 and it is extracted from the animal in considerable quantity, and without any great 

 difficulty. For this discovery we are indebted to the Indians, who have been in the 

 habit, for how long a time I know not, of extracting the oil of the alligator and using 

 it for various purposes. It makes a fine transparent fluid, and burns admirably. You 

 know how many of these enormous animals are shot, out of wantonness, from the decks 

 of the steamboats that plough our waters. I expect hereafter to hear of laws passed 

 for their protection. Every time an alligator of eighteen feet long is shot in the 

 long grass of the river banks, or while he is swimming, a barrel, or half a barrel of oil, 

 as the case may be, is wasted. This should not be. We must allow them to be killed 

 only at a proper season, when they are fattest, and not permit their destruction at the 

 season when they lay their eggs. The alligator is a formidable-looking creature, it is 

 true, but he is generally harmless. His office is to prowl in the sluggish waters of this 

 southern region, pick up what he can, and digest it into excellent oil for the illumina- 

 tion of our houses. Alligators will be hereafter esteemed as useful animals as pigs, — 

 perhaps more so, for their keeping costs nothing. The danger is, that, now that the 

 world has discovered what they are good for, their race will be exterminated.'' — 

 Montreal Times. 



Cornish Reptiles. — Since the publication of the portion of the * Fauna ' enumerat- 

 ing the Cornish reptiles, Bell's work on this portion of our Zoology has appeared, and 

 this is I suppose the reason, why only one species of lizard is mentioned by Mr. Couch. 

 Both are found in the county, I have met with both Lacerta agilis and Zootoca vivi- 

 para in the neighbourhood of Truro. For the same reason with the above, the only 

 species of Lissotriton mentioned by Mr. Couch is Lissotriton punctatus. I have 

 found Lissotriton palmipes (Bell), near Truro. — Robert L. King ; Grammar School, 

 Truro. 



Food of Slugs. — That slugs are highly carnivorous is well-authenticated, and 

 many instances of that fact have been published in the ' Zoologist.' In addition to 

 their recorded bill of fare, I have observed them in several instances feeding on 

 orange-peel ; and twice seen sufficient to convict them of cannibalism- The first in- 



