NOTES AND QUERIES. 479 



wisped around the neck like the trimmings around the foot end of a 

 ham. After an exorbitant demand, the captor, on whose fishing boat 

 the tired-out bird had ahghted, parted with it for a shilling. I took it 

 home, and after much persuasion succeeded in makmg it "suck" down 

 a small quantity of herring milt, thrusting its bill in it up to the 

 nostrils. Two or three attempts at this made the Petrel appreciate its 

 meal, and it soon pecked the roe held upon my finger, next day feeding 

 itself from a milt placed within its reach in my greenhouse. It was 

 exceedingly eager to hide, and occasionally would run to and fro, 

 carrying its wings erect and at an acute angle. When excited it 

 uttered a peepy cry, very like that of a young Turkey. I had some hopes 

 of rearing it, but it had evidently been too exhausted from the first to 

 recover. It died within a week. Another was landed the day after I 

 purchased mine. This species is nowadays very seldom seen in this 

 neighbourhood. The only other interesting "arrivals" at the wharf, 

 so far during this fishing, have been a Great Grey Shrike {Lanius 

 excuhitor), that came in on Oct. 31st, and which died just before it 

 reached me. — Arthuk Patterson (Ibis House, Great Yarmouth). 



EEPTILIA. 



The Sand-Lizard in Berkshire. — Referring to Mr. W. H. Warner's 

 note concerning the Sand-Lizard (Lacerta agilis) [ante, p. 392), the 

 writer inquires whether the Sand-Lizard is known to occur in Berk- 

 shire. I may say that for many years I have been especially interested 

 in this Lizard. Several years ago I took a small female among the 

 furze at Cookham Dean, near Maidenhead. This was practically on 

 the border between Berks and Bucks. I have also taken them on 

 Maidenhead Thicket, though rarely. Across the river, in certain parts 

 of Burnham Beeches, they are sometimes very plentiful. I think this 

 lively little reptile may be met with in most parts, at any rate, of 

 East Berkshire, though nowhere have I found it so common as on our 

 south-western coasts. I remember, however, several years ago finding 

 a large number at Southend-on-Sea. Prom my own experience it is 

 far commoner and more widely distributed than the so-called Common 

 Grass Lizard. — Ernest S. Lumsden (Reading, Berkshire). 



INSECTA. 



Mosquitoes at Scarborough. — During the past three years local 

 field naturalists have been plagued with swarms of Mosquitoes in 

 several damp localities near Scarborough. These have this year been 

 present in greatly increased numbers, and in several new localities, 



