424 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
NOTES AN DS OU EES: 

MAMMALIA. 
Rabbits and their Young.—During the past spring I kept under 
observation several nesting-burrows of Rabbits containing young. I 
marked these sealed holes each day in such a way that I could detect 
any visit by the mother to its young. For many nights, both moon- 
light and otherwise, I visited these burrows, but found in every 
instance up till midnight the mother had not attempted to visit her 
young. On April 4th I took three nests under observation, and 
decided to watch the night through, visiting the nests at three-hour 
intervals. At midnight all the holes were still undisturbed. At 
3 a.m. one had been opened and sealed again, the second was open, 
and I presume the mother was in the act of feeding her young; the 
third nest had not been visited. At 6 a.m. both the latter had been 
resealed. It is evident only one visit is paid by the old Rabbit to its 
young in twenty-four hours. Although these facts may at first seem 
contrary to what we might expect—that the mother would visit her 
young as soon as possible after dark—nevertheless, by delaying her 
visit, the Rabbit no doubt avoids many dangers to both herself and 
young by running less risks from her enemies, which would be 
more eager hunting their prey as soon as night falls —QJ. STEELE 
Euutort (Dowles Manor, Shropshire). 
AVES. 
Starling on Sheep’s Back.—To see Starlings perch upon Sheeps’ 
backs is something I have been accustomed to all my life, the first 
thirty years of which were spent at Hastbourne, where, on the neigh- 
bouring downs, one could not very well miss the sight. Jackdaws do 
the same. In the district in which I now live—one of the wooded and 
enclosed portions of the county of Sussex—I still see the same habit 
followed out, though to a lesser degree, because the sheep are fewer, 
and the great flocks of Starlings such as frequent the open downs 
and levels of the county are absent. Indeed, I saw two Starlings on 
the back of a sheep this morning. There is one fact we must not 
lose sight of—all sheep do not have the same wool. I would rather 
