118 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



Rose-coloured Starling in Bedfordshire. — An adult male Rose- 

 coloured Starling (Pastor roseus) obtained in the above county has 

 recently been examined by me. It was picked up dead in October, 

 1913, by some children between the villages of Ravensden and Thur- 

 leigh. It was eventually taken to a taxidermist in Bedford, by whom 

 it was purchased. The only other county record that I am aware of 

 is a young bird of the year, shot at Barton-in-the-Clay in August, 

 1855 (see also ' The Naturalist,' vol. 6, p. 20). — J. Steele Elliott 

 (Dowles Manor, Shropshire). 



REPTILIA. 



Colour Variations in a Chameleon. — A North African Chameleon 

 in my possession a short time ago underwent variation of colour, 

 whether placed against materials or on plants. The colours shown 

 were various shades of brown, black, and cream, and on one occasion 

 pink. The resemblance was more successful in the dull colours than 

 it was in the more brilliant ones. It did not seem that visual 

 realization was necessary, for the changes also took place when the 

 animal appeared to be asleep, or at any rate when his eyes were 

 closed. He would go to sleep one colour and awake a totally 

 different one, without any apparent effect other than in the skin. — 

 (Miss) M. Callaed (Dulwich). 



BATRACHIA. 



Colour Transitions amongst Batrachia. — In July of 1911 I found 

 three Toads amongst the heather on the top of one of the hills in the 

 Hog's Back. They were a good half-mile from the nearest water, 

 and the heat was such that several heath fires had occurred, yet the 

 creatures managed to survive and appeared in good condition. When 

 captured, their skin was of a distinctly purple hue, blending well 

 with the heather and the dull red of the whortleberry bushes. They 

 were put in a box of dry brown leaves and kept in the dark until the 

 following day, by which time they had assumed a less brilliant grey- 

 brown colour. This colour continued with slight variation of tone 

 during the remaining months I had them in captivity. — (Miss) 

 M. Callaed (Dulwich). 



CRUSTACEA. 



Planes minutus at Padstow.' — On January 14th, 1915, at Padstow, 

 Cornwall, a large male specimen of the Sargasso Crab (Planes 

 (Nautilograpsus) minutus) was found alive on a, baulk of timber 



