172 
NATURE NOTES 
are naturally xerophytes of hilly districts. These have diffused and very small 
vessels, but nothing special in the first wood. On the other hand, water-loving 
trees, as Willows, Poplars and Alder, have diffuse-porous wood with much larger 
vessels. This is but a very rough index of some coincidences ; but numerous 
exceptions and anomalies will be found, sc that there is a large field for observa- 
tions, and a good subject for some aspiring ecologist to attack. It must not be 
forgotten that the anatomy of the roots must be studied simultaneously with the 
stems. 
All who wish to know all about familiar trees must not fail to get these three 
excellent volumes, and study their living prototypes simultaneously. 
G. Henslow. 
Received. — Bulletin of the New York Botanical Garden, vol. 5, No. 17 ; 
The American Botanist for June; The Victorian Naturalist and Brogress for 
July ; and British Birds, The Naturalist, The Irish Naturalist, The Animals' 
Friend, The Humanitarian, and The Agricultural Economist for August. 
Some other reviews are unavoidably held over. 
NATURAL HISTORY NOTES. 
529. Protection of Animal Life : Otters. — Last week a very large 
dog otter appeared in the Cavendish Dock at Barrow, the great seaport in the 
north-west of “dirty, unenviable Lancashire.” It was, unfortunately, stoned to 
death. The Furness Railway Company at once prosecuted (I ), saying that any 
animal or bird which became their property must not be molested. Since they 
would not prosecute for the death of the animal, they brought the action on 
the ground of the throwing of stones into the Dock being illegal. Dismissed 
with costs. It is very pleasing to hear of the Railway Company protecting wild 
life in this way. Otters are abundant in some parts of the county ; for let me 
remind those who scorn the beauty of the county that, although part is un- 
doubtedly very smoky, the northern half contains scenery which is equal to 
any in the Kingdom, a large part of the far-famed Lake District lying within 
its limits. Barrow is a large town (75,000) with many smoking chimneys, yet 
within a mile lies the “Vale of Deadly Nightshade” and P'urness Abbey, one 
of the fairest vales in all England. 
Grange-over- Sands. R. C. Lowther. 
530. Seal in Morecambe Bay.— Last week a seal of large size was 
noticed at Humphrey Head after the tide went out. They ate rather rare 
visitors to the Bay. Some accounts say that this one was captured by fishermen 
living near, in which case it might realise ;^I5 alive, or f8 dead. Other 
accounts say that it escaped to the open sea. Seals are more frequently seen 
in winter time, especially if there is much ice in the Bay. 
August R. C. Lowtiier. 
531. Victims of Lightning. — During the recent terrific thunderstorm 
which passed over Lancashire four seagulls at Carnforth on Morecambe Bay were 
struck and killed by lightning, the body of one being much burnt. 
Grange-over- Sands, Lancashire, R. C. Lowtiier. 
August I. 
532. Fox and Badger. — W. R. J.’s case in No. 490 against badgers is 
not a convincing one. It seems that a vixen was found dead and mangled near 
the home of a badger, and also that her cubs were found mangled in the middle 
of a field. The cause of their deaths he supposed to be revenge for the vixen 
having taken possession of the badger’s burrow. When a fox enters the burrow 
of a badger, the smell is so intolerable to the rightful owner that it throws 
up house and home out of pure disgust, and even if the fox were to leave, 
the badger would not re-enter it. The probability is that a dog killed the 
cubs in a field, and in trying to defend them the vixen was so mauled that 
she crawled away into the wood to die near the badger's home. If badgers 
were more common we should not hear such constant complaints of a plague 
