110 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



Edinburgh, which was lately shot in Anglesea. It is a cross between a 

 male Teal and a Wild Duck. Size of a Wigeon. Head, Teal and Mallard 

 gloss. Crest on head ruddy brown, and patch on cheek behind and below 

 the level of the eye lighter yellow-brown. Sides of head glossy green. 

 Under-side of tail and half of body, Wild Duck ; tail, Wild Drake, but 

 central feathers only very slightly up-curved. Breast spotted like Teal. 

 Bill more like that of a Wigeon in shape and size. — J. A. Harvie- 

 Brown. 



[This is the hybrid which in the earlier editions of Yarrell's ' British 

 Birds 'was described and figured under the name " Bimaculated Duck." 

 We have lately heard of a second example, which was taken in the second 

 week of January last, in the decoy belonging to Capt. E. G. Pretymau, of 

 Orwell Park, Ipswich. — Ed. 



Heron catching a Rat. — I am aware that Herons catch Common Rats, 

 having, on more than one occasion, seen full-sized examples of Mus 

 decumanus taken from the stomachs of these birds ; but it was not until 

 lately that I saw the feat of capturing a Rat by a Heron accomplished. 

 On Jan. 24th, looking from my study window, about midday, I saw an 

 immature Heron standiug in a dyke about 80 yards off in the meadow. 

 Suddenly it made a desperate pounce, began struggling with something, 

 and finally scrambled out of the dyke on to the meadow, holding a full- 

 grown Rat by the neck between its mandibles. After getting some 

 20 yards from the dyke it let the Rat drop, and away it made for the ditch, 

 the bird following it in clumsy style, head down like an angry goose. I 

 took up my binoculars, and watched the affair with great interest. The Rat 

 gained the side of the ditch, the Heron flew into the water and stood 

 statue-like for a few seconds, then another flutter and plunge at something 

 running along the dyke side, and again the Rat was between the bird's 

 mandibles. This time the Heron seemed fatigued with the weight of the 

 Rat, but floundered out of the ditch holding its captive firmly, and walked 

 into the meadow about 50 yards from the ditch. By this time the Rat was 

 dead, and the Heron, without letting it touch the ground again, 

 dexterously worked it through its mandibles until the head was in its 

 mouth ; then it attempted to swallow the Rat head foremost, but a big Rat 

 is not an easy morsel even for the expansive throat of a Heron. Its efforts 

 were most ludicrous, and excited the attention of a flock of Gulls which 

 were bathing on the partially flooded meadow, and for a few minutes 

 wheeled round and round the Heron. Soon several Hooded Crows gathered 

 to the spot, and alighted within a few feet of the big bird ; they seemed to 

 watch it with curiosity and amazement, as the Heron turned round in its 

 efforts to swallow the Rat, which by this time had slipped about half-way 

 down its throat, leaving the hind legs and long tail dangling from the bill. 

 The Crows kept hopping round, with their heads sagaciously cocked on one 



