394 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



Beferring to the Editor's article on " Animal Sense Perceptions," 

 I kept a Skunk for a pet six or seven years ago which followed me about 

 like a Dog. At first I had to put up a good deal with the smell, but 

 as it grew tame it was only upon great excitement that it emitted this 

 odour, and this did not seem to be so durable as described in some of 

 the quotations in that paper. 



Here the natives do not teach the calves to drink out of a bucket, 

 so that they imbibe direct from the cow. When the native milks the 

 cow the calf must be beside him, otherwise the cow could not be 

 so easily milked. If the calf dies, it is skinned and stuffed with 

 straw, and in a rough fashion made lifelike. This stuffed skin is 

 placed beside the boy while milking, so that the cow can smell it, 

 and thus have no objection to the process. Here smell is stronger 

 than sight. — Kenneth J. Cameron (Namasi, Zomba, British Central 

 Africa). 



MIMICEY. 



This natural phenomenon has, according to Dr. Andrew Wilson, 

 recently received a very novel application in connection with certain 

 gunnery experiments made at Aldershot. " The red coat of the British 

 soldier has long been condemned as a mark for the enemy ; hence 

 khaki and greys have come into favour as colours for the protection of 

 the soldier. At Aldershot the experiments were carried out on guns 

 and their limbers, by way of securing concealment when placed against 

 a variety of backgrounds. Six guns were painted red, blue, and yellow. 

 Seen from a distance, the colour-blending rendered them practically 

 invisible. At a distance of 800 yards it is said the outlines of the 

 guns disappear. At 1000 yards they become lost to sight, and their 

 location is impossible. This experiment is strongly suggestive of the 

 Tiger markings, apparently most conspicuous, but harmonising so 

 thoroughly with the surroundings that all trace of the animal is 

 lost." — Ed. 



