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NOTES AND QUERIES. 



MAMMALIA. 



The Little Shrew in Aberdeenshire. — A specimen of Sorex minutus 

 was found by Miss D. Hamilton at Skene House in October, 1904. 

 She very kindly sent it to me for examination. This is the first 

 record for our county. The creature would seem to be rare with us, 

 for, although I have been giving special attention to the Shrews for 

 some years back, it has not been my fortune to see a local example 

 until now. — George Sim (Aberdeen). 



Whale versus Swordfish and Thresher. — In your notice of Mr. 

 Bullen's book, which appeared in ' The Zoologist' (1904, p. 438), the 

 statement of the author that he is absolutely certain that he has seen 

 the "Thresher" Shark "attacking the Whale at close quarters" 

 reminds me of a most exciting struggle I saw (I think in 1874) while 

 at anchor at St. Vincent, Cape de Verdes, on board the cable -ship 

 laying the St. Vincent and Pernambuco cable. The Whale, in his 

 frantic endeavours to escape from his two enemies, which assailed 

 him simultaneously from above and below, repeatedly jumped clear of 

 the water, amid a perfect cloud of spray and foam. While in the air 

 we could plainly see the Swordfish hanging on to him, and while in 

 the water the immense flail of the Thresher could be distinctly seen 

 and heard. Such a sight as this only comes about once in a lifetime, 

 and once seen can never be forgotten. — Reg. B. Lodge (Enfield). 



The Mammals of Great Britain and Ireland. — I am glad to see, in the 

 last number of 'The Zoologist,' an appreciative notice of Mr. Millais's 

 new work with the above title, concerning which there can be only 

 one cause for regret, namely, that the high price of the work (eighteen 

 guineas when complete) will place it beyond the reach of many to 

 whom it would be extremely useful. My object, however, in writing 

 is to correct a misapprehension in your notice (p. 464) which concerns 

 myself. Your reviewer observes : — " We read that Mr. Harting also 

 handed him [the author] over his notes which had been collected with 

 the idea of a similar enterprise." I take exception to the words 

 " handed over," which are not the words of the author. My collected 

 observations and notes, which date from 1874 (when the last edition of 



