NATURAL HISTORY NOTES. 
99 
Strange Playmates. — In a field near my garden a cow and sheep live in 
close companionship. The sheep was brought from the Fells sick from water in 
the head, and not worth three and sixpence — so its owner said. However, he 
successfully operated upon it, turned it into the field, where it became fat and 
strong. I watched it one evening playing with the cow. It gambolled round it 
like a dog ; then going to a distance, made a “ butt” at the cow’s head, which 
was lowered to receive the charge. Then they stood a while with heads close 
together, presently resuming their play. Jesse has shown in his “ (Ileanings " 
how the instinct of friendship exists in animals. 
A/sto>i^ Cumberland. I. E. Page. 
Summer Mig’rants. — The following birds have come under observation 
on dates respectively :—-ChifrchalT, March 25 ; willow-wren, April 5; ring ouzel, 
April 8 ; blackcap, April 8 ; titlark, .April 8 ; redstart, April 8 ; cuckoo, April 9 ; 
swallow, April 12 ; whitethroat, .April 13. It would be interesting to have 
records of the arrivals from different localities for comparison. 
Astwood Bank, Woicestershire. JaS. Hi am. 
The Return Home of the Autumn Migrants.— .May I a.sk your South 
Wales subscribers to mention the dates of arrival on their shores of the martins and 
swallows ? In that sheltered corner of West .Somerset bounded by the Quantock 
and Brendon Hills and the sea, the martins were first seen this year on April 4, 
and on April 8 the sand-martins were also numerous. I have seen these birds 
departing in the autumn — wind strong from the west — in a south-east direction. 
They probably arrive in April from the same point of the compass. They are 
usually noted here in considerable numbers, and I think it may be owing to the 
check they receive from the Bristol Channel inclining them to rest along the 
Somerset and Devon coast, thus placing them more in evidence. The chiff- 
chaff was here on March 22, the wheatear on April l, and the cuckoo on April 8. 
The warblers I did not notice so early as usual. Welcome all ! 
Weston-super-Mare. T. P. 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
J. T. —It is the Morel (Morchella esculenla), one of the best ol our edible 
fungi. 
Mrs. Gr. — Kindly refer to our Rule 5. 
L. F. M. — The plant with sessile leaves Lamium amplexieaule : the other 
probably L. incisum, but owing to delay caused by our absence from home the 
specimens were much withered when we saw them. 
We must again express to our correspondents our regret for the delay of many 
communications. 
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