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EDITOBIAL GLEANINGS. 



Eats and Eed Currants. — The Eev. W. A. M'Gonigle, of Elling- 

 ham Vicarage, writing in a recent issue of the ' Newcastle Daily 

 Journal,' relates the following curious experience relative to the loss 

 of wall-trained red currants : " These particular currants," he writes, 

 " grew in bushes trained up the side wall of a ' hemel,' and were a 

 fairly good crop. As they were intended for later use they were 

 carefully netted, and not closely watched. One day the startling 

 discovery was made that the bulk of them had disappeared. On 

 closer examination it was seen that neither bird nor wasp nor human 

 hands had carried them off. All of these have their own peculiar 

 trade-marks which cannot be mistaken. A new agent was at work. 

 What, none could say. Still the currants went, and that rapidly. 

 At length the marauders were discovered in the very act. A colony 

 of rats had their home in the 'hemel.' A hole under the eave 

 permitted access to the bushes, and climbing down and up they had 

 neatly and with care eaten off practically the whole crop. Such an 

 experience can hardly be unique, but it is so singular, as far as I am 

 aware, as to make it worth recording." 



"The Forest Service of the United States Department of Agri- 

 culture reports that during the past fiscal year 4686 predatory animals 

 were killed by Federal officers on the National forests. According to 

 an actual count of carcasses, the rangers' bag of beasts of prey this 

 year was made up of 206 bears, 3541 coyotes, 133 pumas, or mountain 

 lions, 62 lynx, 583 wild cats, 64 wolves, and 97 wolf pups." — ('Pall 

 Mall Gazette,' Sept. 30th, 1913.) 



" Mr. James Parker, of Burnham, shot a Flamingo on the 

 evening of Sept. 23rd. The bird, which is a splendid specimen of 

 its species, measures 5 ft. 8 in. across the outstretched wings. When 

 shot it was swimming on the Crouch off Bridgemarsh Island." — 

 ('The Essex Weekly News,' Sept. 26th, 1913.) 



