NATURAL HISTORY NOTES 
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The Cyclists’ Touring Club Gazette for December contains “ A Selborne 
Pilgrimage,” by Mildred P'letcher, prettily illustrated with views of the village, 
the Wakes, Waverley Abbey and P'arnham Castle. 
The Parents' Review for December contains the papers read at the Seventh 
.\nnual Conference of the Parents’ Educational Union, including one on “ flow 
best to study Nature,” by Mr. J. C. Medd. 
Report of the Kent and Surrey Committee of the Commons ami Footpaths 
Preservation Society for 1902-3. 
This is the record of another busy and successful year, illustrated by some 
charming views of Merrow Downs and of the river at Richmond. The preserva- 
tion of much of the view at the latter locality, the regulation of Merrow Downs 
and Oxshott Heath, and the assured prospect of the acquisition of the summit 
of Oak of Honor Hill, are the chief of many subjects for congratulation, to the 
achievement of which this invaluable Society has contributed. 
Indirect Advantages of the Motor-Car to Horses generally. By the Hon. Chas. S. 
Rolls. A Paper read before the Church Society for the Promotion of Kind- 
ness to Animals. 
If the horse is to be abandoned as a means of traction, we are not sure 
whether the species will benefit. Horses may then be fattened for food. 
Meanwhile, it hardly requires the somewhat interested advocacy of the motor- 
car manufacturer to tell us that there are many cases where we should welcome 
any motive power that would spare our valued and beautiful animal friends. In 
the precipitous streets of Rouen the electric tramway is undoubtedly a most 
humane improvement ; but on the scarcely less steep inclines of St. Leonard’s, 
the horse has still to drag the clumsy omnibus, whilst a motor-car plies along the 
sea-front. 
Received: — The South-Eastern Naturalist, 1903 ; Legislation for the Pro- 
tection of Birds other than Game Birds ; Digest of the Game Laws for 1901, and 
Information concerning Game, Seasons, Shipment, and Sale, 1900, published by 
the U.S.A. Department of Agriculture ; The Irish Naturalist, The Animals’ 
Friend, The Animal World, Our Animal Friends, The Humanitarian, The 
Agricultural Economist, and the Commonwealth for December. 
NATURAL HISTORY NOTES. 
66. White Shrew. — While staying in Hampshire in August, I found 
among several dead “ Lesser Shrews” (Sorex minutus) one pure white in- 
dividual. Albino varieties of the common Shrew are occasionally recorded, 
though I have never before heard of a white Lesser Shrew. 
November, 1903. F. Z. S. 
67. Diving Birds (p. 234.) — In writing “ How do they do it?” a year or 
two ago, it did not occur to me that it would be left to my brother and myself to 
thrash out the questions raised respecting diving birds. 
In the presence of danger divers often vanish in a mysterious manner. They 
disappear so quietly as not to disturb the surface of the water, and either reappear 
at a distance or make for shelter. If there be no shelter, they at times remain 
with their heads only above the water until the danger is over. In many in- 
stances they take to their wings and fly away. Generally speaking, diving birds 
are, bulk for bulk, one-fourth the weight of water ; and ordinary principles lead 
us to suppose that considerable force, e.xerted either by the bird or by the action 
of the water, is necessary to cause or maintain submergence ; and that in abso- 
lutely still water muscular power must be used to prevent the bird rising to the 
surface. I put aside adventitious aids to submergence, such as clinging to weeds 
or stones, because if these are the explanation the question is not worth discussion. 
So far my brother, Capt. Giles Daubenny, and I agree. But if it can be 
shown that a diving bird is able to remain absolutely still when submerged in 
water where there are no “eddies or currents,” without holding on to anything 
