28 } THE ZOOLOGIST. 
being disturbed, run from the eggs, and then fly near to the ground for a 
short distance, without uttering any alarm-cry. The males, on the contrary 
are very clamorous, and fly round the intruder, endeavouring by various 
instinctive arts to divert his attention.” Quite true. The solitary flaw, 
to my thinking, in the paragraph I have reproduced, is the introduction of 
he word ‘‘ invariably.” There is no rule without an exception, it is said. 
Still, it is manifest to me that Selby took his description from the birds 
themselves in their nesting haunts. The question of Ducks quitting their 
young and flapping along the water in front of an intruder has no bearing 
whatsoever on the points involved. Eggs are one thing; young birds 
another. In the case of the latter, the maternal affection is infinitely 
stronger. I have stroked a Partridge sitting on her nest; she seemed not 
at all disconcerted. I have also walked suddenly on to the top of a brood 
of “ cheepers,” and been furiously attacked, after a fashion, by the old 
bird—the female. It is frequently only when cunning is at a discount that 
birds and animals have recourse to strategy of another kind. 
I, too, have picked up Swifts and tossed them into the air—so long ago, 
alas! as the summer of 1865; but this in nowise affects or discredits my ori- 
ginal contention—that tens of thousands of people are under the impression 
that Swifts can not rise from the ground,—any more than does the fact of 
Mr. Fox having ten years ago found an individual Lapwing doing only 
what I should have expected it to do under somewhat novel circumstances, 
invalidate what I said on the subject of that species being the medium of a 
popular fallacy.—H. 8S. Davenrort (Ormandyne, Melton Mowbray). 
PISCES. 
Notes from Scarborough.—Whilst Codling fishing off Filey Brig on 
October 10th, 1897, I found in the stomach of one of my captures a Pogge, 
or Armed Bullhead (Agonus cataphractus). This is, I believe, a common 
fish in many places, but is only the second time it has come under my 
notice in the Scarborough district.* During the heavy sea which prevailed 
during November 6th and 7th, a Garfish (Belone vulgaris) was picked up 
on the North Sands, and a living example of the Lesser Forkbeard or 
Tadpole-fish (Raniceps trifurcus) was also stranded. It was unfortunately 
mutilated by some lads before I obtained possession of it. —W. J. CLARKE 
(44, Huntriss Row, Scarborough). 
* Abundant off Great Yarmouth (‘ Zoologist,’ 1897, p. 546). 
