1 1 8 
NATURE NOTES 
Savings Bank. “ The bird,” says Mr. Jones, “ is, of course, the ordinary English 
blackbird ( Turdus merula), but is an exceedingly rare variation in colour. It is 
of the albino type, and has the pink eye of the albino, but is much rarer than the 
white blackbird of which we hear so much.” The colour is practically self- 
cinnamon, the breast being cream spotted with brown. The bird was taken not 
long after it had left the nest, on the Wigmore Estate, Holmwood, Dorking, 
having been entangled in the nets put to protect the cherry-trees. Kept in Mr. 
Jones’s aviary it has moulted its body-feathers, and has reproduced them in iden- 
tical colours. The little creature, which is a cock, is now in the large western 
aviary at the Zoological Gardens, the giver believing that with birds of its own or 
cognate family it would be better off than in his smaller indoor aviaries. Bird- 
lovers will be very grateful to Mr. Jones for the opportunity of observing this rare 
specimen, which, as he remarks, he has “ by caging saved from the trap or gun 
of that class of lunatic that makes a practice of potting everything which is rare, 
or which its limited experience has failed to notice.” It is hoped that a hen of a 
similar character may be found, in order to preserve the variety. 
Ducks in Kensington Gardens. — Some time ago there was a paragraph 
in Nature Notes about the wild ducks in Kensington Gardens, so I think, 
perhaps, the following may interest some of your readers. 
This morning as I came through the Gardens I noticed two keepers standing 
at the foot of a tree that has had its top broken off ; there were two or three 
other men with a ladder and a basket. I saw a man hand something out of the 
basket to one of the keepers, and presently discovered that it was two little 
ducks. The keeper carried them to the Round Pond, where the mother duck 
was swimming about with three young ones : he put them down to the edge of 
the water, and the two little things were soon swimming along as though they 
had been on the water for weeks. The mother came to meet them with proud 
and delighted quacks, but after a few pecks at them seemed to think everything 
was as it should be. I asked the keeper how the young ducks generally got out 
of the trees, and he said they drop out and walk to the water. He saw the first 
three drop — and knowing that the hole in the tree was very deep, got a ladder 
to see if there were any not strong enough to get out alone. He told me that a 
duck came all the way from Holland Park, along High Street, Kensington, one 
morning at 5 o’clock, bringing her brood with her to the Round Pond. 
49, Clanricarde Gardens , W. Elis. H. Burlton. 
April 11, 1898. 
New Edition of White's Selborne. — Mr. John Lane is preparing for 
publication in the autumn a new edition of Gilbert White’s Natural History of 
Selhorne. It is to be edited by Mr. Grant Allen and illustrated by Mr. 
Edmund H. New, with drawings of SelboVne and its surroundings, and of 
White’s favourite birds and beasts. Mr. New’s illustrations to Mr. Lane’s 
edition of The Compleat Angler will be fresh in the recollection of readers of 
Nature Notes. 
British Dragon-flies. — Mr. Upcott Gill, of 170, Strand, proposes to 
issue a handbook to the British Dragon-flies , by W. J. Lucas, B. A., with coloured 
plates, at 10s. 6d. to the first 200 subscribers. 
Phenological Observations. — Few subjects are more interesting to 
British naturalists than the distribution of rare forms throughout the country, and 
in no way can we follow more closely in the footsteps of our master than in 
recording the first appearance of birds, insects or flowers. Local circumstances 
and the variability of our climate, however, render most isolated observations of 
this kind of little value, and the space available in Nature Notes is wholly 
inadequate for them. We would suggest, therefore, that our correspondents 
should furnish themselves with Dr. Roberts’ Naturalist's Diary (Swan Son- 
nenschein) as a guide to the more useful species to observe, and after ten years’ 
observations should send us an account of the characteristics of their locality 
with a list of extreme and average dates. — Editor N.N. 
Exchange of Minerals and Rock Specimens.— The Rev. C. Casey, 
of Grianan, Princess Road, Bournemouth West, wishes to exchange with any 
other member. 
