OCCASIONAL NOTES.
Longevity in the Dog.—A Pomeranian Fox Dog, or "Loup-loup," died last December, within a quarter of a mile of my house, at the age of nioeteen years and a month. The father of this dog lived fourteen years, and the daughter fourteen and a half years. I only mention the two latter on the assumption that longevity in dogs may run in families. I am anxious to elicit from your readers whether the age of the longest lived of the three is very exceptional, and also whether I am right in my "family" supposition. The dogs above mentioned were the property of Miss Young, of this place, and the ages can be authenticated.—William H. Heaton, (Meadow Croft, Reigate).
Difference in Mode of Feeding in the Rabbit and the Hare.—I was recently told by a Suffolk farmer, who has always been a good sportsman, and more or less an observer of facts connected with natural history, that you may generally tell whether your turnips are nibbled by hares or rabbits by the difference in their mode of attacking the roots. A hare will bite off the peel, and leave it on the ground; a rabbit will eat "peel and all." I do not know whether this can be corroborated; if so, it is an interesting and might prove a useful fact.—H. Miller (Ipswich).
The Migration of Birds in Autumn.—It may not be generally known that immense flocks of Larks arrive in this country during the autumn from the north of Europe. I have fallen in with them daily about the middle of October, when steaming in the North Sea, many miles from land, flying direct for the Norfolk and Suffolk coast. They usually keep company in compact bodies of several hundreds, but now and then a few, fatigued by the journey, would follow for a short distance, and then settle on board, where they would creep into the first quiet corner, and, puffing themselves out like little balls, would soon be at rest. Larks are by far the most numerous of all the birds taken on board the light ships off the eastern coast, immense clouds being reported to have been often noticed hovering round the lamps during a drizzling rain. After these come the Starlings,[1] and then the Stormy Petrels. The latter, however, do not strike the lights, but settle on the vessels by day during protracted rough weather; they are then generally so thoroughly worn out that,
- ↑ The first thousand wings that I received during the autumn of 1872 were made up as follows:—Larks, 520; Starlings, 348; Stormy Petrel, 45; Brown Linnet, 15; Greenfinch, 21; Brambling, 6; Fieldfare, 2; Fork-tailed Petrel, 1; Knot, 2; Blackbird, 20; Redwing, 13; Chaffinch, 15; Tree Sparrow, 3; Rook, 2; Snipe, 1; Kittiwake, 1. A few of the Warblers were taken the following spring, also one Swallow, but no Martins. I also received the wing of one Razorbill.
