424 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



Bittern, Botaurus stellaris, Linn. — Very rare winter visitor. 

 Mr. Brooke shot one near Killybegs about the year 1868. Several 

 others were, he believes, shot the same winter in Donegal. Mr. 

 J. E. Stewart, writing in 1830, states that Bitterns were resident, 

 but very rare. Thirty years previously, he says, they were common. 

 Water Rail, Rallus aquaticus, Linn. — Not unfrequent in 

 autumn at Breaghy Head, Kindrum, Dunfanaghy, &c. 



*Corn Crake, Crex pratensis, Bechstein. — Common in summer 

 in cultivated districts. Hardly penetrates to the north of Fanet. 



*Waterhen, Gallinula chloropus, Linn. — Common at all 

 seasons in suitable places. 



*Coot, Fulica atra, Linn. — To be seen on many lakes, some- 

 times in large numbers ; on Ballymagahy Lake, in Fanet, I have 

 counted as many as thirty in view at once, though it is not half a 

 mile in circumference. The Coot remains on this lake throughout 

 the year. In bad weather it sometimes leaves lakes near the shore, 

 as Long Lough, Bathmullan, and takes to the salt-water estuaries. 

 The Waterhen, on these occasions, does not leave the ditches or 

 margins of its frozen home. The " Dabchick" also takes to the 



sea in winter. 



(To be continued.) 



NOTES AND QUERIES 



MAMMALIA. 



Polecat in Oxfordshire. — In February, 1886, Mr. Darbey, taxidermist, 

 of Oxford, showed me a huge male Polecat, which he had found to measure 

 uearly two feet five inches; as stuffed, when I saw it, it was rather more. 

 I have no note of the place where it was trapped, but fancy it was Stowe 

 Wood, near Oxford. It was several inches longer than any of the numerous 

 other specimens which had been caught in the neighbourhood during the 

 previous autumn, none of which, I think, exceeded two feet. — Arthur H. 

 Macpherson (51, Gloucester Place, Hyde Park, W.). 



Polecat in Nottinghamshire. — In the month of January last a fine 

 male Polecat was brought alive into Retford. It had been caught at a 

 farm in the Forest, a few miles from that town. — L. Buttress (Grove, 

 near Retford, Notts). 



The Serotine in Kent. — If you are not tired of hearing about my 

 bats, I send you some further notes, with two specimens shot in September^ 



