MISCELLANY. 
383 
^iit into a box containing a Ferret Weasel and some young ones, as food for the 
old female. Instead, however, of immediately killing and devouring the little 
animal, the Ferret took it under its protection, and brought it up along with its 
own offspring. The Kitten remains with them at present; but from the confine¬ 
ment of the place, and the overweening attachment of the old Ferret in keeping 
it well covered with hay, it is in a weakly state, not being allowed sufficient air 
and exercise. It grows up with the young Ferrets, and is now about the same 
size as its companions. If the kitten is at any time taken from the box and 
placed upon the ground outside, it is immediately fetched back in the mouth of 
its foster-mother, and covered up in the litter along with the young Ferrets. 
The Ferrets belong to Mr. Bower, of Rossington .—Cheltenham Chronicle (?), 
Communicated by Charles Hanway, Esq., Alton HaU^ Gloucestershire^ Aug. 27, 
1837. 
Capture of Whales in Orkney. —On the 21st of August there was an im¬ 
portant capture of Whales, of the Bottle-nosed species, in Scapa Bay, near Kirk¬ 
wall. A hundred and sixty were taken in all, varying in length from 6 to 22 
feet each. The massacre was dreadful, and the whole scene had something of 
the •sublime and terrific in it. The bay was for a time metamorphosed ad literam 
into a “ Red Sea,” and the shore presented the spectacle of 160 dead carcases 
ranged along it. A sale of these monsters of the deep afterwards took place. 
They were disposed of in lots, and brought upwards of £400. At Stromness 
about 60 Wales, of the same species, made their appearance, some of which were 
captured off the place, and a few were run on shore. We have been informed 
that a number of the same description are ashore at Stronza. Some of them 
were also seen off Scapa Bay since the first capture, but though hotly pursued 
they got off.— Sept. 1. 
Black Variety of the Rabbit. —A variety of the Rabbit is taken at Nappa, 
near Aysgarth, which we know by the name of the Nappa Rabbit. It is quite black 
when young, and becomes of a blue-grey when full-grown, ffhe fur is considered 
valuable, which causes the proprietor of the warren to be very tenacious of the 
breed. I only know of one other place in England where it exists. Whether it 
is indigenous or not I cannot say. The skins are sent to London. —Thomas 
Meynell, jun., Esq., in a letter to the Rev. F. 0. Morris. 
Singular Habit noticed in the Whin CiiAT{Saxicola rubetra ).—We believe, 
but are not certain, that the Whin Chat, both old and young, frequently makes a 
rapid motion with one wing while the other remains quiescent. The tail is 
moved at the same time. To ascertain the precise action of the bird during this 
manceuvre is difficult, on account of the rapidity of the movement. We first 
noticed this circumstance at three o’clock in the morning of July 1, when com¬ 
paratively few birds were in action. An old Whin Chat was perched on the top 
3e 2 
