32 NATURE NOTES 
East Kent Scientific and Natural History Society : Report and 7 ransactions 
for 1904. 
This quarto double-columned report of a Society in its forty-seventh year of 
being gives a full account of its proceedings and papers. Photography occupies 
an important place in these, and most of the Society’s work is commendably local. 
A meteorological record and notes on mosses and lepidoptera appear side by side 
with a history of the Canterbury monastery and a paper on pilgrim signs. 
The Field Naturalists' Quarterly for December, completing vol. iii., is a 
first-rate number. The Editor, besides continuing his series of papers on British 
Field Zoology by one on Parasitism, begins a series of Modern Studies in 
Heredity ; Dr. P. J. O. Minos gives an account of Coggeshall Church, excellent, 
if perhaps rather out of place; Mr. H. E. Forrest writes on British Bats; and 
there are several other good articles and some exceptionally fine plates. 
The Antiquary. New Series, Vol. i.. No. i, January. Elliot Stock. Price fid. 
We congratulate our contemporary on the way in which it commences the 
second quarter-century of its useful existence. Each number is now to be eight 
pages longer, and the present number gives us certainly a very varied bill of fare. 
Mr. Charles Dawson writes on Old Sussex Glass ; Mr. Lynam gives us a well- 
illustrated paper on Lapley Font ; the Rev. W. J. Loftie discourses on London 
street names, and Mr. T. Sheppard describes the Roman remains found near 
Spurn Head. 
The Natzire-Study Kevieiv, Vol.' i., No. i. January, 1905. 525, West 120th 
Street, New York. Price 20 cents. 
This new bi-monthly candidate for favour testifies by its long list of collabora- 
tors, two only of whom — Professor Miall and J. A. Thomson — are British, to the 
wide-spread interest in Nature-study among American teachers. Judging from 
its articles, and especially from an outline "Guide to Periodical Literature” 
which it contains. Nature-study would appear to be all but non-existent beyond 
the confines of the United States. 
Received: The Plant -World craA The American Botanist iox •, Our 
Animal Friends, 'I he Victorian Naturalist ?cx\A The Wilson for Decem- 
ber ; and The Naturalist, The Irish Naturalist, Nature-Study {L,oc]s.viooA), The 
Animals' Friend, The Animal World, The Humanitarian, The Agricultural 
Economist, The Estate Magazine and The Commomvealth for January. 
NATURAL HISTORY NOTES. 
208 . Weasel Attacking Chickens.— One morning while feeding my 
chicks of various ages, I was startled by cries of alarm from one at a distance. 
As it was in long grass I could not at first see it, but I dropped my bucket and 
ran to the spot whence the cries came. 1 was surprised to see one of my chicks 
being dragged along by a weasel, which held it by its breast, in spite of its 
struggles. When the weasel saw me it let go of the chick and ran to a bank. I 
made after it, but it darted into a hole, at the mouth of which I found three dead 
chicks with their heads and part of their bodies eaten away. 
Church Farm, MORI.KY Brown. 
West Dean. 
209. Black-headed Gulls. — In the " holy valley " of the Nar, where I 
reside, close to the noble ruins of Castle-acre Priory, one of the most beautiful 
and interesting spots in the Eastern Counties, black-headed gulls are very common. 
They may be seen daily, often by the hundred at a time, and are almost as much 
wedded to our large open fields as to the sea-coast. They often follow the plough, 
and feed on the dilferent caterpillars, grubs, and other creatures that are exposed 
in the newly-turned furrow. Among young turnips they do much good by 
devouring the farmer.s’ greatest insect enemies, and altogether are very useful 
birds. 
