Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 5 (1901).djvu/50

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Lesser Rorqual Whale.—An adult female example of the Lesser Rorqual (Balænoptera rostrata) was washed ashore two miles north of Caister (five miles north of Yarmouth) early on the morning of Dec. 3rd last. T went to see it in the noon-hour, and found the dimensions as follow:—Length, 30 ft.; width of tail-fluke, 7 ft. 6 in.; pectoral flippers, 4 ft. It had evidently followed the Herring-shoals, and, getting into diflBcuhies amongst the sand-banks, had succumbed. It had been dead five or six days, and was already becoming very "high and gamey." The deeply furrowed belly had expanded with putrefactive gases, and answered to pressure like a huge bladder. No traces of having been run into by steamer or other craft were visible, but the outer skin had been much abraded from contact with the sands. Someone had been before me, and had cut out all the baleen but a seven-inch length near the snout. This example is identical in size with the one that afforded such an exciting chase in Yarmouth Harbour in June, 1892, and which the writer exhibited, stuffed, on the marine parade in the following season.— (Ibis House, Great Yarmouth).

Habits of the Ring-Ouzel.—Referring to Mr. Fox's interesting article in 'The Zoologist' (1900, p. 1), on the Ring-Ouzel (Turdus torquatus) in Derbyshire, it will be seen that Lord Lilford says, "I have observed the bird in our immediate neighbourhood, on its return migration, about the end of April"; and the Rev. H.A. Macpherson ('Fauna of Lakeland,' p. 89) writes, "The last days of March witness the return of the Ring-Ouzels to their upland home." From what is known of its migratory habits, one would think that this species should arrive in Northamptonshire much before the end of April; but if the date of arrival is fixed late for Northamptonshire, Mr. Macpherson's date for Lakeland would appear to be early. Of course they may arrive in the Lake District earlier than here, but this seems hardly probable. We have seen it here in March, but this has been in an exceptionally mild season, and in normal seasons it cannot be expected to arrive before the first week in April. In its general