398 THE ZOOLOGIST. 





instances are noted of the occurrence of the Marten {Martes 

 sylvatica, Nilsson) within the last few years in the Chester dis- 

 trict. One at Eaton on the Duke of Westminster's estate on 

 the 8th July, 1891 ; another a few days later on the rabbit 

 warren near Hope ; a third at Connah's Quay on the 14th April, 

 1892, and a fourth, a very large male, near Llanfairfechan about 

 the 28th April, 1892. The measurements are given of three of 

 these. According to Mr. Newstead the Dormouse has only been 

 met with in two localities in the district, namely, at Thornton-le- 

 Moors, and at Nant-y-glyn, Colwyn Bay. The Harvest Mouse 

 is included with doubt in his list ; while the Bank Vole (Arvicola 

 glareolus) is stated on the authority of the Kev. C. Wolley Dod 

 to be common near Malpas. 



But the most important contribution to this part of the 

 Chester Society's ' Proceedings ' is that by Mr. W. H. Dobie on 

 the " Birds of West Cheshire, Denbighshire and Flintshire," of 

 which, as above noted, we have received a separate copy for 

 review. It extends to seventy pages, and has a useful map. 



As twenty years have elapsed since Brockholes' list of the 

 Birds of Wirral appeared in the first number of these * Pro- 

 ceedings,' it was time that some fresh effort were made to deal 

 with the avifauna of Cheshire, and Mr. Dobie' s contribution 

 is therefore very acceptable. The district to which his obser- 

 vations relate includes a great variety of country both in regard 

 to altitude, ranging from the coast up to 1850 feet above the sea, 

 and to the character of both land and water. According to Mr. 

 A. 0. Walker, 



It comprises one side of the estuaries of the Mersey and Conway, 

 and both sides of the Dee, having large areas of sand and mud laid bare 

 at low tide, and eminently adapted for the wading and swimming birds. 

 In Cheshire there are ranges of hills of triassic sandstone, covered 

 on their summits in parts with forest and heath, as is especially the 

 case in Delamere Forest. The low grounds are for the most part 

 pasture, and few fields are without old marl pits, now full of aquatic 

 plants, and the haunts of Moorhens, Dabchicks, and other waterfowl. 

 The two Welsh counties, though not possessing mountains equal to 

 those of Carnarvonshire, yet form a land of hill and dale with large 

 areas of elevated moorlands. Along the south-west side of the estuary 

 of the Dee rises the carboniferous range of hills, which forms a con- 

 tinuous outwork to the older formations extending from the mouth of 



