MISCELLANY. 
335 
sand-hills, held together by Arundo arenaria , and covered with Lichens and 
marine plants. These birds lay their eggs in such accessible places, and have so 
many enemies who seek to make puddings and custards at their expense, in the 
guise of sailor-boys, sturdy old tars, and shoe-and-stockingless idlers whose 
homes border on the sea, that they become extremely cautious, and rise from 
their nests, where they have been sitting on their eggs, when a person is yet a 
considerable distance from them, flying over the white pebbles at first, and then 
rising from the site of their nests. I have seen them, as any one may with a 
telescope, where the birds abound. The stones and sand, however—which 
become remarkably hot on bright days during the breeding-season —must contri¬ 
bute to forward their eggs.— Charles DrosIER, Boughton , Norfolk , Jan. 6, 
1839. 
Varieties of the Blindworm.— I perceive in the Bee. No. of the Edinburgh 
Journal of Natural History, that the Editor has quoted the description I gave, 
at p. 85 of the present volume of The Naturalist , of Anguis eryx , and meets my 
request for further information by stating the result of his own observation. Mr. 
MacGillivray describes a specimen in his possession, which was captured in 
Buchan, and adds :—“ Such varieties cannot be considered as specific. Sometimes 
the Slow-worm has the upper parts without lines at all, sometimes with a single 
line, and sometimes with seven lines; the lower parts either uniformly bluish- 
black, or with a broad band of the same colour at the back, and on each side' a 
central dark band. * * * Some specimens are destitute of white spots on the 
lower part of the abdomen, or tail, but in most individuals they are more or less 
apparent.” These remarks evidently render the specific claims of A. eryx very 
doubtful. In addition, however, I should wish to be informed whether A.fragilis 
has ever been found 14 or 15 inches in length without possessing the other character¬ 
istics of A. eryx. — Peter Hylands, Bewsey House , Warrington , Jan. 12 , 1839. 
Chain of Beings. —Bitumen and Sulphur form the links between earth and 
metal—Vitriol unites metals with salts—crystallizations connect salts with 
stones—the Amianthes and Lithophytes form a kind of tie between stones and 
plants—the Polyp unites plants with insects—the Tube-worm seems to lead to 
shells and reptiles—the Water-serpent and the Eel form a passage from reptiles 
to fishes— Anas nigra is a medium between fishes and birds—the Bat and the 
Flying-squirrel link birds and quadrupeds—and the Monkey equally gives the 
hand to quadrupeds and to Man.—[[The above paragraph, which has lately been 
“going the round of the newspapers,” doubtless to the great edification of their 
readers, is not remarkable for accuracy. We were not, previous to the publica¬ 
tion of this paragraph, aware that the Black Scoter ( Oidemia nigra , Flem. ; 
“ Anas nigra fi Linn.) bore any very close relationship to a fish ! We presume 
