524 General Notes. [July, 
is utterly wanting on the legs. The white color of the under side 
of the body is distributed as is usual in this species. 
The tail is narrow and not at all bushy, and reaches about to 
the neck of the specimen; it is white with a very few reddish 
hairs on the upper surface of the part nearest the body. A very 
few black hairs may also be seen very sparingly scattered 
throughout. 
Two specimens of this variety were observed in the trees of 
Middletown, and one of these, captured in a trap set for rats, is the 
individual now before me.—H. L. Osborn. © 
FERrocious TENDENCIES OF THE Muskrat.—It is possible that 
others have commented on the unnatural and ludicrous attacks of 
the muskrat (Fiber zibethicus) on man. However that may be, I 
have some incidents in point which may serve to throw light on 
the matter. 
I was sauntering along a prairie road just out of Boone, Ia., one 
night during the past winter. There was no snow on the ground 
and the moon was just glimmering through the clouds. Of a 
sudden I was startled by the appearance of some animal from the 
long grass by the wayside, which dashed up my leg. I knocked 
it off, picked up a frozen piece of mud and broke its leg. Again 
it made a rush for me, and another piece of mud sent it rolling 
over. I took hold of its tail during this little scene, and ended 
the matter by giving its head a severe bump on the ground. 
When I had access to more light I found that it was a full-grown 
muskrat of enormous size. I can neither account for its attack 
nor appearance there. The previous summer season had dried 
up all the sloughs and there was no water in the vicinity. The 
houses of these animals had been deserted for some time pre- 
vious, and nowhere on the prairies had I been able to find one 
with any inhabitants (they build in the sloughs of western prai- 
ries extensively). Alone and well away from its most natural 
element it had attacked me without provocation. The matter led 
to an inquiry among the farmers. The general statement was 
to the effect that considerable fun and some trouble was had with 
this species during each hay time, as they did not hesitate, when 
out of the water, to ferociously attack man or beast, with seldom 
any damage. One man related, however, that he received a se- 
vere bite in the hand from one of them, which laid him up for some 
time. It is either very courageous or very luny—W. H. Ballou. 
Nestinc Encuish Sparrows.—During the entire month of 
February, the English sparrows (Passer domesticus} have been 
busily engaged in Chicago, preparing their nests. Long before 
the arrival of other park birds, they have selected all the nesting 
boxes and hundreds of nests are completed. This is my st 
observation of this game being played, and I believe that it 1s an 
advantage they have taken of migrants to secure nesting places 
