SO THE ZOOLOGIST. 



consequently overlooked one of the four above mentioned. Considering 

 that it is a common species in the North Atlantic, between Norway and 

 Greenland, it is curious that it has not been more frequently detected in 

 British waters. It is of course possible, and indeed probable, that other 

 examples have been captured or stranded, and cut up before any competent 

 zoologist could see and identify the species. As regards the dimensions 

 of the Hump-backed Whale, an adult specimen is said to attain a length 

 of 45 to 50 feet. If so, the individuals which have come under the notice 

 of naturalists in this country seem to have been all more or less immature. 

 The Newcastle specimen was 26 feet in length, the Lincolnshire specimen 

 25 feet, the Sligo specimen 29 feet, and the Dee specimen 31 feet 4 inches. 

 To judge from the dimensions given by those who have recorded these 

 examples, the figure in Bell's ' British Quadrupeds ' (which is copied from 

 Rudolphi's original figure in the Memoirs of the Berlin Academy) conveys 

 an erroneous impression of the proportions of the animal. In nature the 

 body is very clumsy, and so thick as to look quite out of proportion to its 

 length, being probably between 20 and 30 feet in circumference, according 

 to Mr. Warren, who examined the Irish specimen. Again, the tail is 

 represented as much too small in proportion to the length. The late 

 Mr. T, Moore, of the Liverpool Museum, who measured the Dee specimen, 

 found the extreme width of the tail to equal the distance from snout to 

 flipper, namely, 11 feet; whereas in Bell's figure (copied from Rudolphi) 

 the extreme width of the tail is not 4 feet. We want new outlines of this 

 species, drawn from the latest statistics. — J. E. Harting. 



BIRDS. 



Notes on Grouse.— On reading the recently published volume on the 

 Grouse in Longman's 'Fur and Feather' Series, I was struck with the 

 reference to a bird in my uncle's possession which Mr. Macpherson has 

 decided to be a hybrid between Red Grouse and Black-game (torn. cit. pp. 

 62, 63). I am naturally familiar with the specimen in question, which I 

 had always regarded as a barren grey-hen assuming male plumage. I 

 refrained, however, from any expression of opinion, until I had had 

 another opportunity of examining the bird. I am now writing this in the 

 same house with it, and, after a careful examination, I must say I cannot 

 find any grounds for altering my former opiniou. The size of the bird, the 

 appearance of its feet and head, exactly correspond with those of a normal 

 grey-hen purposely put in the same case with it. The claws, and the 

 serrations on the side of the toes, do not show the least tendency to 

 resemble the same parts in a Red Grouse ; neither is there a trace 

 of Grouse-like feathering on the toes themselves. Nor can I detect any 

 distinctive characteristics of Red Grouse plumage on the body. I have 

 seen a good many examples of this abnormal female plumage in the 



