Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 2 (1898).djvu/540

504 pale yellowish fawn in the middle of the abdomen; but another at the same seasou had all the under parts, excepting the inside of the thighs and fore legs, strongly tinged with yellow fawn. Of thirteen males and one female examined during the month of May and the latter part of April, not one showed much trace of this peculiar flush of warm colour; and in a female taken in July it was only slightly indicated. These animals are particularly fond of apples, and both Bank Voles and Long-tailed Field Mice often find their way into a fruit-house here, which is situated in the midst of a plantation, the former regaling themselves on the apples, while the latter confine their attention more particularly to the filberts and walnuts. During the winter Bank Voles often visit and even take up their abode in outbuildings where roots, bulbs, vegetable seeds, &c, are stored; yet those I have kept in cages would not touch carrots, parsnips, or crocus bulbs. In addition to the different kinds of food enumerated in Mr. Harting's article on this animal (Zool. 1887, pp. 369, 370), mine would also eat the berries of the holly, and of Cotoneaster microphylla, as well as the leaves of the dandelion. — (Blaxhall, Suffolk).

Porpoises at Great Yarmouth.—These animals (Phocœna phocœna) have fared badly here through some reason—perhaps having become entangled in the fishermen's nets, where they died. Twelve dead Porpoises have come on shore a few miles north of the town in the latter part of October and beginning of November.— (273, Southtown, Great Yarmouth).

Food of the Redwing.—I examined the other day the crops and gizzards of several Redwings (Turdus iliacus), which have been very numerous. They all contained a goodly number of caterpillars, and the larvae of some beetle. I often think not half enough attention is paid to the food of birds by those who have the chance of dissecting them, for it is thus that we are enabled to judge of their usefulness or the reverse.— (Heworth, York).

Barred Warbler in Lincolnshire.— I shot an example of the Barred Warbler (Sylvia nisoria) on Sept. 5th last from a bunch of brambles in a ditch not far from the coast at North Cotes. The bird was a young female, showing no trace of barring except on the tail-coverts, and having the irides brown. The weather at the time was fine and very hot, with a light east wind. With the exception of a single Willow Wren and a young Spotted Flycatcher, no other migrants were seen on that day. This bird is an addition to the Lincolnshire list, and is, I believe, the thirteenth British