NOTES AND QUEBIES. 169 



the river Waveney, a rather early arrival. Some thirty couples of these 

 birds annually breed on the ronds by the side of this river, and the adjaceut 

 rough marshes between St. Olave's Bridge and Burgh Castle. 



Wagtails. —A specimen of the Yellow Wagtail appeared on the marsh 

 on March 29 ih. A large uumber of Pied Wagtails are now scattered 

 about the district. Yellow Wagtails breed in quantity on the marshes. 



Grey Crow on Haddiscoe marshes, April Oth. 



Wryneck. — I have only heard the Wryneck's note once during the past 

 three years ; the birds seem to have forsaken the district, though the reason 

 why is not easily understood.— Last. C. Farman (Haddiscoe, Norfolk). 



AMPHIBIA. 



Frog attacked by a Rat. — Is it not unusual for a Rat to attack a 

 Frog? My gardener was walking beside a hedgerow the other day when 

 he heard a commotion and squeaking in the ditch. On investigation he 

 saw a large Rat with a fair-sized Frog in its mouth. He then threw 

 something at the pair, and the Rat allowed the Frog to escape, which 

 hopped quickly away into a place of safety. — T. A. Gerald Strickland 

 (Oakleigh, uear Ascot, Berks). 



[Frogs killed by Weasels are recorded in 'Zoologist' (1851), p. 3273, 

 and ib. 3rd ser. vol. xii. p. 1 40. A more remarkable case of a Rat killed 

 by a Frog is described in ' Zoologist,' 1849, p. 2471. — Ed.] 



INSECTA. 



The Magpie-moth eaten by Birds. — Last spring my garden was 

 visited with a regular plague of the gooseberry grub and moth ; the leaves 

 and fruit-buds were entirely eaten up, and the stems of the bushes were 

 covered with the brightly-coloured grubs; while a little later the moths were 

 all over the place. I caught them by dozens (both grubs and moths), and 

 put them in my aviary, containing Greenfinches, Bramble-finches, Chaf. 

 finches, Yellowhammers, Redpolls, and Canaries, by whom they were 

 greedily eaten ; the moths were eagerly chased and caught, and so keen 

 were the birds after them that I only remember seeing one escape out of 

 the large numbers that were put in. I am told it is very unusual for birds 

 to^so readily devour this species. There is always plenty of food in the 

 aviary, so it was not hunger, but simply choice. — W. T. Page (6, Rylett 

 Crescent, Shepherd's Bush). 



[This well-known moth, Abraxas grossulariata, generally known as the 

 " Currant " or " Magpie " Moth, is usually reported as "protected" from 

 the attacks of birds. Poulton, in his ' Colours of Animals,' speaks of 

 the "slow-flying moth itself, with white wings rendered conspicuous by 



