streams as the Dee, Weaver, Gowy, Bollin, and Dane, and in many of the meres. An adult female was killed by an express train near Balderston, Chester, on Feb. 24th, 1894 (R. Newstead, in lit.). In February, 1886, an unusually large Otter, weighing 30 lbs. and measuring 48 in., was killed in the Weaver at Wrenbury (F. V. Starkey, 'Field,' Feb. 20th, 1886).

Family PHOCIDE.

Halichoerus gryphus (Fab.); Grey Seal.-There is a specimen. of this Seal in the Brown Museum, Liverpool, which was captured in the Canada Dock in the winter of 1860-61 (T. J. Moore, 'Report ii., Liverpool Marine Biology Committee,' p. 136).

Phoca vitulina, L.; Common Seal.-Byerley states that the Common Seal has occasionally been captured in the Dee and Mersey. Moore never had an opportunity of examining a local specimen, and does not include it in his list of the Seals and Whales of Liverpool Bay; but the majority of the Seals which have been observed in the district from time to time probably belong to this species. There is a specimen in the Warrington Museum that was shot by William Mather at the mouth of the Gowy (Charles Madeley, in lit.). The stuffed skin of another specimen, which frequented one of the sandbanks near Hilbre Island for some time during the winter of 1893-94, is preserved in a fishmonger's shop in Liverpool (Dr. Herdman, in lit.).

Cystophora cristata (Erxl.); Hooded Seal. A Hooded Seal was captured on the Mersey shore, at Frodsham, on Feb. 3rd, 1873, and was exhibited alive in Widnes. It is now preserved in the Brown Museum, Liverpool (T. J. Moore, loc. cit., p. 137). (To be continued.)

OBSERVATIONS ON BIRDS IN MID-WALES.
By J. H. SALTER.

(Continued from p. 184.)
LIMICOLE.

CURLEW, Numenius arquata. A few upon the coast and many in the Dovey through the winter. Often noisy after dark in March, when they are probably passing inland to the hills. By the end of that month they have reached their breeding quarters, and are scattered rather locally over the hills, preferring bog

land. Numbers also nest upon the low-lying Borth and Teifi bogs, whilst those nesting in the hills fly to the Dovey to feed at low tide. Upon the bogs they may be seen to mob Carrion Crows with much spirit, mounting above them and stooping almost in the style of a Hawk. Though most of the eggs are hatched by May 20th, a young one which I caught could barely fly on June 30th.

WHIMBREL, N. phaopus. The spring passage begins with great regularity within a day of the 3rd of May, and lasts through the greater part of that month; while in 1894 I heard the note as late as June 21st. Few or none are seen on their return passage in August.

BAR-TAILED GODWIT, Limosa laponnica. Used to be plentiful in the Dovey, but its numbers, like those of all the migratory waders, have fallen off. Still seen at times in good large flocks in August and September. Mr. F. T. Fielden only saw two in 1894. BLACK-TAILED GODWIг, L. @gocephala. One only, an immature bird, in the possession of Mr. F. T. Fielden.

GREENSHANK, Totanus canescens. Small parties of not more than four are seen fairly frequently on the Dovey in August. Mr. F. T. Fielden has seen a Greenshank at one of the lakes in the hills in April or May.

WOOD SANDPIPER, T. glareola. Capt. G. W. Cosens has a specimen which he obtained at Glandovey.

REDSHANK, T. calidris. A few in the Dovey and Barmouth river, but more numerous about the muddy inlet at Mochras Island, near Harlech. It may breed there, as I saw a flock of twenty-five on July 2nd, 1893.

GREEN SANDPIPER, Helodromas ochropus. Mr. F. T. Fielden has seen one at the same spot for several years upon the Dovey. One shot at Clarach is preserved at Gogerddan.

One was

RUFF, Machetes pugnax. Only two occurrences. shot by Mr. Hooton near Borth; the other preserved by Mr. Hutchings.

COMMON SANDPIPER, Totanus hypoleucus. Breeds upon all the hill-streams and beside the llyns. Arrives with great punctu ality, generally on April 22nd. On May 31st, 1893, sitting had not begun, as the birds were still in pairs, the males trilling and tripping about with both wings raised vertically, or with one held up flag-wise. Young birds frequent the Ystwyth in August.

SANDERLING, Calidris arenaria. Large flocks visit the Dovey in August, and are seen again, often with Ringed Plover and Dunlin, in April and May. A few may stay the winter, as I saw one on Jan. 9th, 1893.

LITTLE STINT, Tringa minuta. Occurs now and then upon the Dovey about the end of September. Mr. F. T. Fielden, who has specimens, saw two in 1894.

PURPLE SANDPIPER, T. striata. Met with every winter, singly or in pairs, but is far from numerous.

DUNLIN, T. alpina. Common on the Dovey through the autumn and winter, remaining till April or May. A very large flock, with Ringed Plover, seen on May 26th, 1893, may have consisted of non-breeding birds. Nests in some numbers on the Teifi Bog, where, as already recorded, I found eggs on May 13th, 1893. Others seen during May and June about the margins of some of the lakes in the hills were evidently nesting in the vicinity.

CURLEW SANDPIPER, T. subarquata. Occurs on the Dovey, usually in September, its numbers varying from year to year. In 1891, or the previous year, Mr. F. T. Fielden obtained a number, and saw one flock of from twenty-five to thirty.

KNOT, T. canutus. Large flocks sometimes come to the Dovey for a short time during the first three weeks of September, but its visits are very uncertain. There is one in summer plumage at Gogerddan.

WOODCOCK, Scolopax rusticula.

Common, but I have failed

to hear of any instance of its breeding. At Peniarth Mr. F. Abel flushed four from under a single bush.

GREAT SNIPE, Gallinago major. Not very uncommon. Mr. Hutchings has preserved at least three. Capt. G. W. Cosens has an example which was obtained in September, 1891. A specimen at Gogerddan is mounted so as to show the large amount of white in the tail.

COMMON SNIPE, G. cœlestis. Breeds sparingly in the hills, but plentifully upon the Teifi Bog. Here at dusk the air seems full of its bleating and buzzing.

JACK SNIPE, Limnocryptes gallinula. Fairly numerous.

GREY PHALAROPE, Phalaropus fulicarius. Occurs in autumn when driven out of its course while on passage. Mr. Hutchings received seventeen after rough weather between Oct. 15th and 24th, 1891. Mr. F. T. Fielden has met with it twice at Borth.

TURNSTONE, Strepsilas interpres. About the first of the waders to arrive from the North, coming during the first week in August. They pass on almost at once. A few have been obtained in full summer dress.

LAPWING, Vanellus cristatus. Breeds very sparsely in the hill-districts, seeming to prefer fallows and the sand-links of the coast.

GREY PLOVER, Squatarola helvetica. Visits the Dovey in decreasing numbers, generally at the end of August or beginning of September.

GOLDEN PLOVER, Charadrius pluvialis. Breeds very sparsely on the slopes of Plynlimmon, and in other parts of the hilldistrict; more plentifully upon the Elan Moors, near Rhayader. Occurs at Aberystwyth during rough winter weather. Visits the Dovey from September to May, large flocks usually arriving there with the first snow; but if frost continues they soon leave. They are generally very wild.

DOTTEREL, Eudromias morinellus. Mr. Hutchings informs me that a Dotterel was shot by the late Mr. Richards, of Penglais, Aberystwyth, upon the Bryn-y-môr fields.

RINGED PLOVER, Ægialitis hiaticula. Very numerous as a breeding species along the greater part of the Merionethshire coast, and about the warren at Borth, south of which point the coast is unsuitable, and only an occasional pair is to be found. Last year but few had arrived on April 9th; the majority were still in flocks on the 30th, laying not being general till the middle of May.

OYSTERCATCHER, Hæmatopus ostralegus. Breeds commonly on the beaches and warrens of the Merionethshire coast, and to within about a mile of Borth. Scattered pairs nest at intervals along the Cardiganshire coast upon rocky points, islets, and stacks. Non-breeding birds are seen in flocks all through the nesting season.

CREAM-COLOURED COURSER, Cursorius gallicus. The example obtained at Ynyslas, near Borth, in Cardiganshire, by Mr. Horton, in October, 1886, has been sufficiently recorded (see 'Zoologist,' 1887, p. 269).

(To be continued.)

NOTES AND QUERIES.

MAMMALIA.

The proper Specific Name of the Weasel.-The editorial note appended to my remarks on this subject obviously demands au immediate reply, for the question at issue is particularly one which should be settled as soon as possible. Every one will agree that the proposed change of name "ought not to be too hastily accepted," and feeling this I have pondered on the subject, off and on, for about a dozen years, in the vague hope that the obvious suggestion as to Linnæus's " Mustela nivalis" being a small female Stoat might turn out to be correct. Such drifting on, however, is one of the main causes of the present confusion in zoological nomenclature, and the sooner such a question is cleared up the better. In deference to those who may think that long usage of a name has a bearing on the question whether it be the correct name to use, it may first be pointed out that such "use" should be sole use, which is not the case in the present instance. On the contrary, nearly every Scandinavian naturalist of repute has actually used nivalis for the Weasel, while (which is vital) those who have not, have all without exception put nivalis (or at least "snömus") among its synonyms. And this is equally the case with other continental naturalists, not excepting Blasius, whose volume on European mammals remains the standard work on the subject. In fact, with the exception of the Editor, I have failed to find one single writer who seriously considers nivalis to be a synonym of ermineus. But the real question is not that of the name vulgaris having been "120 years in use," but whether the characters given by Linnæus best fit the female Stoat, as suggested by the Editor, or the Weasel in its winter dress. As the Swedish Weasel must of course be mainly considered, I extract the following from Prof. Lilljeborg's 'Sveriges och Norges Ryggradsdjur,' the latest and best work on the subject (vol. i. p. 508):-"Äldre individer hafva i denna drägt icke sällan några på svartaktiga hår i yttersta svansspitsen": that is to say, "Old individuals [of "Mustela nivalis"] have in this [winter] dress not infrequently some few blackish hairs at the extreme tip of the tail"; and words to the same effect occur in other diagnoses of the species. Can anything better correspond to Linnæus's account, quoted by the Editor, "caudæ apice vix pilis ullis nigris"? Even in Britain occasional specimens of the Weasel occur with black tips to their tails, a fact which such a student of British mammals as the Editor might have been aware of. As to changing white, the Weasel throughout the northern portions of its continental range habitually turns to white every winter. The name nivalis I have always supposed to have been a latinization of the Swedish Snömus, a colloquial term quoted by every Scandinavian writer;