NOTES AND QUERIES. 347 



be glad to hear of it. — Thomas Hardbottle (Gamekeeper, Kilburn, 

 Easingwold). 



[White Hedgehogs no doubt are occasionally met with, but not very 

 often reported. Charles Waterton, whose name is familiar to naturalists, 

 once had a family of milk-white Hedgehogs in his park at Walton Hall, 

 near Wakefield (Zool. 1866, p. 195). Mr. J. 0. Harper, of Norwich, com- 

 municated the fact that he had obtained a white Hedgehog in the parish of 

 St. Faith's, near Norwich, in October, 1850, and added that on dissection 

 he found the nerves in connection with the muscles for the contraction 

 of the skin to be greatly diseased (Zool. 1851, p. 3022). In December, 

 1878, another white Hedgehog was caught in Wrest Park, Bedford. See 

 ♦Zoologist,' 1879, p. 172.— Ed.] 



London Rats crossing the Thames. — A most remarkable sight was 

 witnessed during the burning of the large grain warehouse near Blackfriars 

 Bridge on August 31st last. When the fire was at its height a great stir 

 was noticed in the waters of the Thames, which for some time could not be 

 accounted for. Before long, however, the spectators on the embankment 

 discovered that it was caused by immense numbers of rats which had been 

 driven by the heat from the burning building. They appear to have left 

 the place en masse, for they were all gathered together and made their way 

 across the water in one crowd. Unfortunately for the rats, but fortunately 

 for the dwellers on the opposite side of the river, they could find no landing- 

 place, and most of them found a watery grave. Bats, although essentially 

 land animals, are not without the power to swim, but, like all other animals 

 which take to the water by force of circumstances, and not from choice, they 

 are not long before they become exhausted. It is probable, therefore, that 

 those which swam across the river and could find no landing-stage on the 

 embankment were too exhausted to return to the Surrey side, and so 

 perished. 



Whiskered Bat in Derbyshire. — Through the courtesy of Mr. G. F. 

 Gee, I have been able to examine a Whiskered Bat, Vespertilio mystacinus, 

 which was killed last June, in broad daylight, at Cromford. — Charles 

 Oldham (Romiley). 



Common Seal at Scarborough.— On August 24th a Common Seal, 

 Phoca vitulina, was shot at Scalby Ness, in the North Bay, Scarborough. 

 The animal, which was a young male of very pale colour (almost entirely 

 without the usual dark dappling on the back), had been left by the tide in 

 a pool on the rocks, and when seen was making the best of its way back to 

 the open sea. — William J. Clakku (44, Huntriss Row, Scarborough). 



BIRDS. 



Migration of Pied Wagtails.— August 15 th. The Wagtails are 

 beginning to assemble on my lawn daily, as they do every year about this 



