4$6 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



front of the house. Two more, at least, were brought into the house by 

 the cat, and probably many more met their fate by the same means. Had 

 the insects been searched for, there is no doubt that a very much larger 

 number might have been secured. Their appearance and condition 

 (excepting those captured by the feline entomologist) was fairly good, and 

 certainly did not look as if they had borne the wear and tear of a sea as 

 well as a land journey. On the other hand, I am not aware that that part 

 of Wales is a recognised locality for this somewhat scarce moth. — S. Prior 

 (25, Aldebert Terrace, Albert Square, S.W.). 



REPTILIA. 



Adders swallowing their Young.— I consider there can be no further 

 testimony needed to substantiate the long-contested question whether the 

 Adder swallows her young in time of danger than that of Charles Joyce, of 

 Winterbourne Houghton, Dorset. An Adder was seen by Joyce to lower her 

 head, which had been for some time in an erect position, and after resting the 

 lower jaw on the ground, she deliberately opened her mouth, and received 

 her offspring, thirteen in number. With thoughtful precaution, after 

 killing her, he tied a string round her throat, and brought the reptile home, 

 a considerable distance from the wood where it was killed, and in the 

 presence of my tenant he liberated the thirteen young from the dead body 

 of the old one, as lively as when they entered her mouth some hours 

 previously — a distinct proof that they had not entered the actual stomach, 

 otherwise digestion would surely have commenced its disintegrating work. — 

 J. C. Mansel-Pleydell (Whatcombe, Dorset). 



FISHES. 



Ray's Sea Bream at Scarborough. — On Oct. 19th, hearing that two 

 fisher lads were trying to sell a strange fish, I went in quest of it, but 

 arrived only in time to find it sold. It proved to be a remarkably fine 

 specimen of Ray's Sea Bream, Brama rail, measuring 24 inches in length, 

 and weighing 7^ lbs. It had evidently just been brought in by one of the 

 fishing-boats, for it was scarcely dead when I first saw it. It was eventually 

 purchased by Mr. J. W. Woodall, of Scarborough, and forwarded to the 

 Natural History Museum, South Kensington. In Buckland's ' Natural 

 History of British Fishes,' a specimen weighing 4£lbs. is mentioned as 

 being of unusual size: this was nearly double that weight. — William J. 

 Clarke (44, Huntriss Row, Scarborough). 



MOLLUSCA. 



The Shell Slug in Scotland.— Mr. William Evans, of Edinburgh, 

 writes to me in reference to a specimen of Testacella haliotldea which I 

 recorded from this district as the first one captured in Scotland, that 

 another was found some time ago in Sang's nursery in Kirkcaldy. — Robert 

 Service (Maxwelltown, Dumfries). 



