158 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



The colour in this specimen was dull and dusky, and not the brilliant 

 shade we see in some examples, that on the throat being the lightest 

 and brightest. There was an obscure shade, or cast, of brown all 

 over the upper parts, but affecting only the outer surface of the fur. 

 I have never before met with the orange-bellied variety of the Mole 

 in this district. The buff or apricot variety has occurred several 

 times in Oxon, and a Mole-catcher told me he once caught one with 

 a white mark as big as a horse-bean on its head. — 0. V. Aplin 

 (Bloxham, Oxon). 



Lesser Shrew in Bedfordshire. — The first record of the Lesser Shrew 

 (Sorex minutus) being obtained in the county of Bedfordshire applies 

 to a specimen taken at Blunham on March 7th last. A tenant of mine 

 at the Old Mill House caught one in his pantry in a mouse-trap baited 

 with a raisin. Fortunately the specimen was sent on to me with a 

 request for the name of the "wee beastie." — J. Steele Elliott 



(Dowles Manor, Shropshire). 



AVE S. 



Late Departure of Chiffchaff. — On Jan. 13th last I saw and 

 watched for some minutes a Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus riifus) at 

 Buxted, Sussex ; it was hopping about the sides of a stable-drain, 

 and taking the insects on the wing as they arose. I supposed this 

 bird to have been a late departure rather than an early arrival. — 

 Bobert Morris (Uckfield, Sussex). 



Chiffchaff in Hants. — I here heard and watched for some time a 

 Chiffchaff on March loth. It was busy " chining " about some tall 

 hazel and young ash. — T. A. Cotton (The Mount, Bishopstoke, Hants). 



Nesting of the Wren (Troglodytes parvulus). — Last year some 

 instances of — to me — an unusual choice of a nesting-site for this bird 

 came under my observation in this district. I refer to nests built in 

 holes in trees and walls ; by holes I do not mean open places in 

 walls, &c, caused by the removal of a half brick or stone — Wrens 

 often choose such a position — but small cavities such as might be 

 occupied by hole-breeding birds, and where in the case of the Wren 

 the domed nest is necessarily dispensed with. One nest was formed 

 in a small hole in an ash-tree, the cavity was lined with moss 

 throughout, the entrance to the hole being built up from the inside 

 with moss closing up the aperture in the bark with the exception of 

 the usual small hole for access ; this was the only portion of the nest 

 visible, and there was no attempt at a dome or hood to the entrance 

 hole. Another nest was constructed in the top of a hollow tree- 

 stump serving as a gate-post. The hollow was more or less open at 



