Ii4 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



several other peculiarities of the distribution, such as the occurrence of 

 certain genera in both Burma and Southern India, but not in Northern 

 India, may be explained if the temperature of India generally went much 

 lower in Pleistocene times ; and the probability of this conclusion is strongly 

 supported by the evidence in the Himalayas of glaciers having formerly 

 descended 7000 feet lower than they do at present. 



Mb. Robert Service, of Dumfries, has printed for private circulation a 

 paper he read before his local Society last November on " The Vertebrates 

 of Solway : a Century's Changes." These changes are not inconsiderable. 

 On the rougher and hill portions of the country Black Cattle have long since 

 been replaced by Sheep, and as a consequence heather is slowly dying out. 

 We read that the Badger has approached extinction ; the Common Seal 

 {Phoca vitulina) does not visit the Solway waters with its former regularity ; 

 the Black Rat may be considered as extinct ; the Common Hare only holds 

 its own. In birds, the Martin is decreasing in numbers, and the Goldfinch 

 even more so ; the Barn-Owl seems dying out, and the Hen-Harrier, though 

 plentiful half a century ago, is now scarcely ever seen. On the other hand, 

 the Mistle-Thrush, once uncommon, is now a familiar species ; the White 

 Wagtail is more regular in appearance ; the Pied Flycatcher breeds regularly 

 in several places ; whilst the Starling has become a most abundant species. 

 The Adder (Pelias herus) must have been once very common. Mr. Service 

 was informed that during the reclamation of a farm from Lochar Moss the 

 number of Adders killed averaged forty per acre. In fishes, the Cod is no 

 longer the same in number or size ; but the Anchovy, which arrived in the 

 Solway waters in 188'J, remains in quantity. 



The Fourteenth Annual Meeting of the Western Province Game Pro- 

 tection Association was held at Cape Town on Aug. 30th last. It is most 

 satisfactory to find that even in Cape Colony the larger game animals are 

 not yet exterminated. We extract the following from a report in the 

 ' Cape Argus ': — 



" From information supplied by the Agricultural Department, the 

 following varieties of big game appear still to be found in the Colony. The 

 numbers, however, are only approximate, as it is feared that during the 

 disturbed condition of the Northern Border of Bechuanaland much 

 unauthorised shooting of big game took place : — Blesbok; About 400 in 

 Steynsburg division. Bontebok : About 220 in Bredasdorp and Swellen- 

 dam divisions. Bufi'aloes : Over 700 in Albany, Alexandria, Bathurst, and 

 Uitenhage divisions. In the first two of these districts they were specially 

 protected until March 27th, 1001, and in Bathurst until Oct. 2nd, 1900. 



