Quadruj)eds — Birds. 238 1 



[I observe that the artist has represented a kind of notch in the hoofs, but there is 

 no resemblance to the hoof of ruminants. Has no correspondent an opportunity of 

 examining the animal's hoofs and teeth ? — Edward Newman.'] 



The Elk formerly in Scotland. — Sir Walter Scott was aware of the former exist- 

 ence of the elk in this country, as appears from the following lines : 

 " Here grins the wolf as when he died, 

 And there the wild cat's brindled hide, 

 The frontlet of the elk adorns 

 Or mantles o'er the bison's horns." 



Lady of the Lake, Canto i. 27. 

 They occur in the description of the stronghold of the Douglas, in Loch Katrine. I 

 have no means of ascertaining whether Sir Walter had any other authority for intro- 

 ducing the elk than the evidence of its horns, dug up more than once in Scotland. 

 He perhaps would say, that even if he had no kind of proof of the living elk so late 

 as the time of James V., its horns might be nailed up in the castles of the nobility, 

 just as the antlers of the great Irish deer are in England or Ireland at the present 

 day. — John Wolley ; 3, Roxburgh Terrace, Edinburgh, January 8, 1849. 



Dates of the Singing of Birds at Elveden. — I beg to enclose you a notice of the 

 singing of birds at this place, which has been recorded during the past year by my 

 brother : one such has appeared in your magazine by a northern contributor (Zool. 

 1067), and a comparison of the different dates and periods recorded in that, in the 

 present, and in the " methodus " of White,* will show that they agree on the whole 

 very well, considering the difference of the localities. It must be observed that this 

 list cannot be of such good authority as either of the two I have mentioned, as it is 

 only the record for one year, while both the others have the advantage of being the 

 averages of several. I have used the Roman numerals as a short way of expressing 

 the respective weeks of the different months. 



Singing of Birds at Elveden from I January to iv December, 1848. 

 Thrush, from iv January to i July, and Blackcap, from in April to i July. 



from iv November to in December. Wood warbler, from n to iv May. 

 Blackbird, from i January to i July, and Willow warbler, from in April to iv June, 



i December. Chiff-chaff, from rv March to iv June and 



Robin redbreast, from i January to n May, at intervals, and from i to in Septem- 



at intervals till n June, and from iv ber. 



July to iv December. Pied wagtail, from i March to iv April. 



Hedge sparrow, from i February to iv Meadow pipit, from iv March to i July. 



May and at intervals, and from n June Skylark, from i January to i August, and 



to i July. from iv September to n October. 



Redstart, from in April to m June. Yellow hammer, from i March to i August. 



Wheatear, from iv March to i May. Chaffinch, from i January to in June, and 



Nightingale, from in April to in June. at intervals till i July. 



* Letter ii. (Barrington), ' Natural History of Selborne.' 

 VII H 



