EDITORIAL GLEANINGS. 277 



" Plague of Pike. — According to Mr. T. C. Daniel, president of the 

 Exe Board of Conservators, Pike are playing great havoc among the 

 Trout in the Exe at Tiverton. The Watch Committee are to consider 

 the best means of ridding the river of the pest." — Daily Chronicle, 

 May 15th. 



The famous snake-catcher of the New Forest, "Brasher" Mills, 

 has been found dead at Brockenhurst. Of unkempt and decrepit 

 appearance, the old man had for many years lived a hermit's life in 

 a secluded part of the forest near the King's hunting-ground, and was 

 in many ways a quaint character. Venturesome tourists sometimes 

 came across Mills while he was out "hunting." With much dexterity 

 he would pick up the snakes between his fingers and transfer them to 

 the large tin can which he carried fastened to his waist. It is calcu- 

 lated that Mills caught between five and six thousand snakes during 

 his many years' residence in the forest. These he disposed of to the 

 "Zoo" authorities as food for the larger reptiles. Shortly before his 

 death Mills visited the railway hotel at Brockenhurst, and afterwards 

 his lifeless body was found in an outhouse. 



We have received the " Fourth Beport of the Government Ento- 

 mologist " (Mr. Claude Fuller), published by the Department of 

 Agriculture of Natal. In addition to insect-pests, we find the follow- 

 ing complaint as to the arrival of Passer domesticus in the " Garden 

 Colony " : — 



" The presence of this pestiferous bird in Durban, and the certain 

 indications of its increase since April, 1902, when Mr. J. D. S. Wood- 

 ward called attention to it, are sufficient reasons for introducing some 

 notice of the bird into this report. Apart from that, since I have 

 become acquainted with its establishment at the port, I have con- 

 sidered it my bounden duty to urge its extermination upon all and 

 sundry. The Sparrow is receiving the same apathetic attention here 

 that it has received elsewhere, whilst it is establishing itself in a new 

 field and under fresh conditions and circumstances. 



" The circumstances of its introduction are similar to other cases, 

 and can only be described as ' the mistaken enthusiasm for things 

 English.' I gather that a few birds were imported by a gentleman in 

 Durban some six years ago. These he kept in captivity for some time, 

 and then, because their chattering was such a nuisance, they were 

 turned at large. 



