NATURAL HISTORY NOTES AND QUERIES. 117 
Moles Swimming. — It is not generally known that moles are excellent 
swimmers. Whilst in the water meadows shooting, last December, I perceived a 
mole crossing the then swollen and rapid river,- and swimming with wonderful 
vigour. I captured the little creature on landing, and a waterman who was 
standing by wished to kill it ; this of course I would not permit, but putting it in 
my pocket, conveyed it some distance away where it could do no mischief. 
Dorchester. Farmer. 
Some More Pets. — On one very cold day near Christmas, a box arrived. 
On opening it, I found it contained a very fine specimen of the green monkey 
(Cercopithecus callitrichus). The animal was very much alarmed, and dashed 
about its cage in a most frantic style. Next morning, I found he (for it was a m.ale) 
had a very bad cold and cough, so I kept him very warm, and gave him Balsam 
of Aniseed ; in some days he was all right again. He is tame, and will take fruit, 
&c. , from your fingers. One day when I was out, he escaped from his cage, and 
one of my girls hearing a noise, went out to see what it was, and to her terror 
found “ blaster Sambo” coolly sitting on the table eating bananas. As soon as I 
came back, she informed me of the fact ; I went to where he was, and ordered 
him into his cage again ; he went in without giving more trouble. Nearly all 
my visitors admire him, for his jacket is very pretty ; this is the species which is 
termed the beautiful-haired monkey ; he comes from Senegal. 
Another pet is a “ Caracal ” ; this animal is certainly one of the most graceful of 
the Felida. In its native state it feeds on the lesser animals, birds, &c. ; mine 
is fed on raw meat, fowls’ heads, rabbits, &c. One thing strange about it is that 
it does not drink more than, say, three times a week ; I suppose its coming from 
Persia, which on the whole is a dry climate, accounts for it ; no doubt in its own 
country it quenches its thirst with the blood of the animals, &c., it kills. The 
colour of its fur is a soft velvety fawn, its ears are largely tufted with hair. 
One more pet. This was a baby “.Moua monkey.” For making a perpetual 
noise this one would have taken a first class prize. It was very passionate and 
greedy. It would eat potatoes (boiled) ad libihun. One day it was bleeding from 
its head. It must have come in contact with the wire of its cage with some force : 
it never recovered this. 
R. M. J. Tiel. 
The Orleton Swifts. — The Orleton Swifts were only two days late. I 
have just been weighing and measuring one. Its weight was just under the usual 
one and a half ounces, and the spread of its wings was sixteen inches, half an inch 
more than the usual measurement. I would ask all Selbornians who live in 
Swift-haunted places to note and report upon the sunset soaring of these delight- 
ful birds, and if possible to find out at what hour they return to their nests. 
Readers of the early numbers of Nature Notes for 1891 may remember that 
it has been shown that they certainly stay out until after eleven p.m., and probably 
don’t “come home till morning, till daylight doth appear.” 
Aubrey Euwards. 
The Rufous Sedge Warbler. — The Rev. F. O, Morris sends us the 
following note, received on the 27th of last month from Mr. Louis Huth. “ The 
bird,” he says, “ had no doubt come over on its migration ” : — “ On looking out 
of my dining-room window just now (.\pril 25th) I noticed a bird pecking at some- 
thing on the grass, the like of which I have never seen before. Having been a 
close observer of birds all my life, I was naturally much excited and immediately 
ran for my binocular with which to examine it more nearly. It remained but a 
very few minutes, but I nevertheless succeeded in so thoroughly impressing my 
mind with its peculiarities as at once to come to the conclusion that it was the 
rufous sedge warbler. Once convinced that I was not mistaken I resolved to 
write to you and report it. I am in Sussex, though my post town is in Kent and 
fourteen miles off, and I face the Downs, nineteen miles East of Brighton. I 
may add that I am confirmed in my opinion on referring to your book, as likewise 
that of Mr. Gould.” 
Strange Freak of a Blackbird. — At spring-time, when birds of the male 
sex are often seized with an irresistible desire to display their gallantry by picking 
a quarrel with their neighbours, it is common enough to witness many a hard- 
fought battle between feathered combatants of a chivalrous spirit, thirsting for 
