The Scottish Naturalist. 
191 
towards the entrance. Towards winter they take in a supply of dry bracken 
for bedding. Unfortunately one of the three was caught in a rabbit trap, 
and, after dragging the trap about for some distance, the trap caught on a 
wooden pahng, where it was left with the foot of the badger in it. This badger is 
believed to have died some time afterwards — at least it was not seen often after 
that. The remaining pair bred last year, and had at least two young ones, 
which were seen by the gamekeeper's boy. — Bruce Campbell, Edinburgh. 
Italian Ratcatchers in Scotland in the 17th Century.— It 
may, perhaps, be as new to others as it was to me, to find that, according to the 
Register of the Privy Council of Scotland, Mus r alius was destroyed by foreign 
traps. Among the Decreta of the Privy Council of Scotland, given at Edin- 
burgh on July 3rd, 1610, was this : Anthone Auregio, Anthone Soubonga, and 
Fabian Fantone, strangers, having arrived in this country of purpose to use 
their '* trade and industrie of making of hekkillis and utheris ingynnis for tak- 
ing of rottonis and myce, the Lords grant them license to exercise their said 
trade in any part of the country, and discharge all magistrates from hinder- 
ing them in making and selling their work." {Register P.C.S., vol. ix.) — 
H. A. Macpherson, Carlisle. 
Variety of the White Mole.— On the 15th of May last, I received 
from Mr. James Culton, Dildawn, near Caslle-Douglas, a fine pale variety of 
the mole. It was not exactly white, neither was it the pale cream-coloured 
variation usually met with, but something between white and pale cream, and 
was much paler than the usual run of these light varieties. On the under 
part it had a bright, rusty-coloured stripe, occupying the mesial line, with 
branches of the same colour towards each of the sockets of the fore and hind 
limbs. About the same time a similar variety of the mole was sent to Mr. 
Hastings from the neighbourhood of Thornhill. — R. Service, Maxwellton. 
The Nut-cracker in Wigtownshire.— I have pleasure in reporting 
the occurrence of an extremely rare and interesting visitor to Scotland — the Nut- 
cracker {Nucifragcb caryocatactes). My younger son, who is a well-informed 
naturalist, on whom I am able to rely as a careful observer, watched the bird 
at Corsemalzie, Wigtownshire, feeding on mountain-ash berries, and assures 
me that he could not be mistaken, as he and a companion got quite near the 
bird. He identified it afterwards by comparison of three authorities, Yarrell, 
Morris, and Lord Lilford, in all of which it is well figured. 
Though common in many parts of Europe, it is a rare visitor in this country, 
there being only three authenticated instances of its having been shot in 
Scotland. I trust that a like fate may not overtake the specimen which has 
ventured to Wigtownshire.— Herbert Maxwell. 
