( 555 ) 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



MAMMALIA. 



Wild Cat. — In reply to Mr. Harvie-Brown's enquiry in ' The Zoologist ' 

 (ante, p. 477), the best pictures from life of the Wild Cat with which I am 

 acquainted are those published in the * Badminton Magazine ' for October, 

 1895 ; ' The Artist,' for July, 1897 ; and ' Autumns in Argyleshire with 

 Rod and Gun,' just issued. These are from studies taken direct from life 

 by Mr. Archibald Thorburn from a fine male then in the possession of the 

 late Lord Lilford. — R. J. Howard (Shear Bank, Blackburn). 



AVES. 



Nesting of the Marsh-Warbler in Wiltshire. — My son (H. S. Hall, 

 Jun.) had the good luck to find a nest of the Marsh-Warbler (Acrocephalus 

 palustris) on June 18th of the present year. He was Trout-fishing on one 

 of the tributaries of the river Wylye, near the village of Stapleford, and 

 spent some time in searching for nests of the Reed-Warbler in an adjacent 

 osier-bed. He brought home five or six eggs, taken here and there from 

 different nests, and one of these I at once picked out as a typical Marsh- 

 Warbler's egg. The next day I visited the nest, and, from a careful study 

 of its materials, position, and surroundings, my first impression was amply 

 confirmed. I may state that during the last few years I have examined 

 several nests of the Marsh- Warbler in the neighbourhood of Bath ; two of 

 these have been recorded in this Journal (cf Zool. 1894, p. 304 ; 1895, 

 p. 304) by personal friends of my own, with whom I have spent much time 

 in studying the Marsh-Warbler's nesting habits. It is therefore with the 

 fullest confidence that I am able to record this species as having bred in 

 Wiltshire ; whether it has been observed in this county before I do not 

 know, but I have found no mention of it in Smith's ' Birds of Wiltshire.'— 

 H. S. Hall (Clifton, Bristol). 



Is the Siskin an Autumn and Winter Songster ?— Is it the habit of 

 the Siskin (Chrysomitris spinus), in a state of freedom, to repeat its song in 

 autumn and winter ? Five Siskins happened to fly into some fir-trees in our 

 garden to-day (Nov. 17th), and one of the male birds proceeded to rehearse 

 his artless but inspiring strain, which I had not listened to since June last. 

 Hence I venture to ask of those who have had better facilities for studying 



