Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 3 (1899).djvu/447

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Seals in the Wash.—It may be worth recording that there still exists a colony of Seals in the Wash. On Aug. 18th, when sailing in a small yacht from Hunstanton to Lynn, we had a good view of a party of seven lying on a sand-bank a few miles from Wolferton; and, returning in the evening, we saw the same, or another lot, near the same place. The day was rather misty, but there seemed to be considerable variation both in size and colour among the party. Our boatman assured us that they breed in the locality, and that he had seen much larger parties on the sand-banks. It is much to be hoped that these most interesting animals will not be wantonly destroyed, or in any way molested.— (Tostock Rectory, Bury St. Edmunds).

Variety of Song-Thrush in the New Forest.—In July a somewhat peculiar variety of Turdus musicus was killed, and at the same time another almost similar specimen was seen—possibly both of one brood—in one of the woods of the forest. It is not mature, being about three parts grown, and its tail is rather short. On dissection it proved to be a male, and the following description indicates its unusual appearance:—Crown, back, and tail almost white; throat, cheeks, and breast pale buff, the usual crescentic black spots occupying the central portion of the tips of each feather being white, conspicuously so when closely examined; wings rather darker, more dirty looking than the back, but the reddish tawny outer edges of the primaries and wing-coverts are very marked, forming a double bar across the wing; legs and feet pale brown; eyes normal. On several previous occasions I have seen white, or nearly white, Thrushes, but they invariably had pink eyes, being albinos, as I supposed; but none were so near maturity as the one I have attempted to describe. A few years ago I recollect a man finding a nest containing four young ones, two of which were white. He took the whole brood with the intention of rearing all, but both white individuals died within a week of their capture, indicating perhaps that they were not so strong as their darker and more normally hued brothers. The latter grew to maturity, and, being both males, Zool. 4th ser. vol. III., September, 1899.