Correspondence. 
277 
times, this being apparently largely due to the provision of fox coverts. 
There is evidence also that the grasslands have improved in quality in 
the last one hundred and fifty years. Details of the variation in treat- 
ment and composition of these grasslands are given. The ecological 
part of the book is, in fact, of considerable general value to ecologists. 
A somewhat unusual feature of the introductory chapters is the section 
dealing with the history of botanical research in the district Biographies 
of prominent botanists add to the interest of this section and record facts 
worthy of preservation. Particularly noteworthy is the claim that W. 
Marshall (1790) was the first English ecologist. The flora itself appears 
to reach the high standard of the introductory chapters. The details 
under the different species are very full and the comments often of great 
interest. The plates illustrating the vegetation of the district are 
excellent. 
The Woodlands and Marshlands of England, by H. A, Wilcox, 
pp. 55 and two folding maps, 6/- net. (University Press of Liverpool 
through Messrs. Hodder and Stoughton). This short monograph centres 
round two maps which show the distribution of moorland and marshland 
in England (a) in prehistoric times approximately 1800 b.c., and (b) 
as depicted from historical evidence and early cartographers. These 
maps were thought by a Sub-Committee of the British Association to 
be so useful that they have been published, though on a somewhat smaller 
scale (1 : 100,000) than the originals. They have undoubtedly great 
value and we have to thank Dr. T. W. Woodhead for urging their publica- 
tion. Almost equally valuable is the account of the principles and 
evidence from which they have been constructed . This is very judiciously 
worded and to the reviewer its only fault is its brevity. It would be 
an excellent thing if interested persons in each part of England would 
submit this work to the closest scrutiny and attempt to provide the author 
with more detailed information for which she asks. 
CORRESPONDENCE. 
Dear Sir, 
In reference to the allusion, made by Mr. R. W. Gray, to the circular 
wounds seen near the tails of whales (Naturalist, November, 1933, page 
260) I suggest that possibly these may be due to the attacks of some 
species of lamprey. I do not know if these fish are found in South 
African waters ; they occur in Australian and South American seas. 
Nearly all the tunnies I have examined from the North Sea (nearly 
100 in all) have borne upon the hinder part of the body, between the 
second dorsal and anal fins and the caudal fin, round scars about the 
size of a half-crown piece, some fresh and raw, others partially or entirely 
healed up. These I regard as the work of the Sea Lamprey ( Petromyzum 
marinus), a common parasitic species in the North Atlantic which often 
attaches itself by its suctorial mouth to the sides of fishing boats, no 
doubt mistaking them for the bodies of large fish. 
W. J. Clarke. 
The herbarium of the late Phillip Sewell, of Whitby, consisting of 
3,000 specimens of British plants, mostly from the Cleveland District, 
has been presented to the British Museum (Natural History) by Mr. 
W. G. Sewell. 
1933 Dec. 1 
