NOTES AND QUERIES. 157 



lightness and grace. The wings are not folded instantly, but after a 

 slight pause. Feeding may be commenced the very next moment. 



F. N. Chasen. 



Odd Eyes, etc., in Pigeons. — As an old pigeon-fancier of many 

 years' standing, and a regular reader of the ' Zoologist,' I should 

 like to mention that the odd eyes in certain varieties of Pigeons, 

 viz. Jacobins, Baldheads, and Beards, are of very frequent occurrence. 

 All these varieties should be " pearl "-eyed ; but nearly every breeder 

 has had the annoyance of finding an otherwise certain Challenge Cup 

 winner, with just this one fault, a "bull" "eye" — that is, a black 

 or brown eye — on the one side and the beautiful pearl-eye, so neces- 

 sary for the show bench, on the other, or " bull " eyes on both sides. 

 One freak of one-sidedness which I noted many years ago, fully 

 twenty, must be exceptional, and perhaps worth mentioning — that of 

 a Turbit Pigeon, with one wing marked a clear blue, with deep 

 black, well-cut bars, the other wing marked as a blue chequer, of a 

 very dark even chequering ; this bird was bred by Mr. T. Stretch, 

 Ormskirk. — W. H. Parkin (Studholme, Shipley). 



PISCES. 



Fox-Shark in Malta. — On March 1st a Fox-Shark [Alopecias 

 vulpes) became entangled in the Tunny nets at the entrance of 

 St. Paul's Bay. The fish excited general curiosity, and though it 

 has already been reported amongst our fishes by the late Professor 

 Gulia, who states it to be rare, to all fishermen and fishmongers who 

 have seen this specimen it seems to be a quite new occurrence. 

 Along the Sicilian coast, where it is known as " Pisci surciu," it is said 

 to be found commonly all the year round, but during the summer 

 months especially. Our specimen measured 13 feet and weighed 

 nearly 3 cwt. ; its flesh was exposed for sale at the Valletta Market, 

 and fetched about Is. per lb. I procured for the Malta Natural 

 History Museum the upper jaw and upper lobe of the tail-fin, 

 which are quite sufficient for the identification of the species, and 

 will also serve as a record of this rare occurrence in Maltese waters. — 

 G. Despott (Malta). 



INSECTA. 



Black form of Peppered Moth in London. — I wish to inform you 

 of an occurrence of the black variety of the Peppered Moth (Pachys 

 betularia), which was found dead, and brought to me by a friend in 

 July, 1913. I identified it by specimens in the Horniman Museum. — 

 li. J. C. Harding (Clapham, London). 



