6564 Fishes. 



good fisherman, and, ihougb not of strong intellect, is a very shrewd fellow in such 

 things as I have named, and others like them. Had the bird which flew off the nest 

 been a blackbird or a ring ouzel, he would certainly have identified it. I think he 

 has mistaken in pronouncing it to be a missel thrush ; and my own doubt is whether 

 or no it may not have been a redwing. There have been many more of those birds 

 here than usual during the winter: I think I never observed half so many, or even 

 nearly half so many, on any former occasion ; and it is at least conceivable, that 

 storm-stayed by the late continued inclement weather— bitter indeed on our moors — 

 a pair (or more) of them have stayed to nest here. I have also met with another not 

 very usual circumstance in relation to birds' nests this year : I observed a bird leave 

 her nest in a hedge as I passed, rather near; on looking in I saw a blackbird's nest, 

 but wilh four thrush's eggs in it — I mean that the nest was lined with fine dry grass, 

 &c, in precise resemblance to a blackbird ; the eggs, however, being such as to pre- 

 clude the idea that they were laid by a bird of that species, — or any idea, save that 

 they belonged to a thrush. 



Length. Breadth. 



1. Ring ouzel's egg 



2. Blackbird's egg 



3. Blackbird s egg out of different nest 



4. Thrush's egg 



5. Doubtful egg 



These are the comparative lengths and widths of i\ve eggs, the last of which is the 

 egg I am puzzled with ; 2, is a long narrow egg; 3, a round one, and, though shorter, 

 considerably heavier than 2 ; the proportions of 5 are much those of 2 ; of 4, much 

 those of 3. As for the markings of 5, they are much larger or more blotchy than in 1, 

 2 or 3, and a redder or more chestnut-brown. The figures show the lengths, &c. in 

 inches and "thirty-seconds'' of inches. — J. C. Atkinson; Danby, Grosmont, York, 

 May, 1859. 



1 8 



26 

 32 



1 9 



21 



32 



J 32 



28 

 32 



1A 



if 



i a 



1 32 



25 

 32 



The Shower of Fishes. — Some remarks in the 'Zoologist' (Zool. 6541) seem to 

 indicate the conviction that the " shower of fish'' in the Aberdare Valley was simply a 

 hoax. I think actual fact will nevertheless excuse the otherwise apparently un- 

 becoming assumption in me, of opposing such high authority by a contrary opinion, 

 for, from information obtained from many sources and very careful and minute 

 inquiry, I am quite convinced that a great number of fish did actually descend with 

 rain over a considerable tract of country. The specimens I obtained from three indi- 

 viduals, resident some distance from each other, were of two species, the common 

 minnow and three-spined stickleback; the former most abundant and mostly very 

 small, though some had attained their full size. — Robert Drane ; Cardiff, May 18, 

 1859. 



A Monster Pike. —The Rev. W. Barham, of Lolworth, Cambridgeshire, had the 

 good fortune to land a jack weighing 26 pounds, and measuring from tip to tip 3 feet 

 7 inches, across 8| inches, in the River Ouze, near Swavesey, Cambridgeshire; this 

 gentleman succeeded, after five hours, in landing his prize. — S. P. Saville ; Cam- 

 bridge, May 6, 1859. 



