Thames, was found by the man who skinned her to contain three young; I regret that in this instance, as in two or three others of single cubs being picked up, I have no note of the time of year. One of the two Otters now in the Zoological Gardens, received in February last, must undoubtedly, I think, have been born during the previous autumn. Two female Otters, which I have in captivity, come in season pretty nearly every month, and would, I believe, pair at almost any time of year, especially perhaps November, but unfortunately I cannot get hold of a male; the only individual I ever possessed (the first cub mentioned) died from inflammation of the lungs before he was full-grown.—Alfred Heneage Cocks (5, Radnorplace, Hyde Park, W.).
Hybrid between the English Hare and the Scotch Hare.—At a recent meeting of the Glasgow Natural History Society Mr. Lumsden exhibited a Hare, hybrid between Lepus timidus and Lepus variabilis, which was shot in December last near Dumbarton moor, where blue Hares were turned out a few years ago. He remarked that "the editors of the new edition of Bell's 'British Quadrupeds' do not seem to have been at all sure of hares of this description occurring in this country, and state that hybrids are reported to be known in Switzerland, but that the statement requires further confirmation. It is reported, however, that they are not uncommon in some places in Perthshire." Mr. John Cordeaux, of Great Cotes, Ulceby, informs us that when shooting in Perthshire last September, he killed a hare which he had no doubt was a cross between Lepus timidus and Lepus variabilis. This example, which he compared the same day with pure specimens of both species, exhibited very distinctly a mixture of the colours of both parents, that of the Common Hare predominating. It differed, also, in some respects from the Mountain Hare, being generally larger, with larger head, larger ears, and broader forehead. The head keeper on this moor, an experienced man, stated that there was no doubt whatever about the inter-breeding of the two species, but that the progeny was infertile.—Ed.
A Freshwater Breeding-Haunt of the Sandwich Tern.—A correct list of the breeding stations of some of our rarer sea-fowl would be both interesting and useful to those who are fond of studying the habits of our native birds; for in many instances the localities chosen are not those where the casual observer might be induced to look for them. Few, indeed, would expect to find the Sandwich Tern nesting on a little moorland lough some miles from the sea, and totally unconnected with it; yet such was the locality selected by the Sandwich Terns frequenting Killala Bay and the estuary of the River Moy. On the 7th of April, 1851, near the island of Bartragh, I first became acquainted with this beautiful Tern. Having previously resided in the South of Ireland it was quite unknown to me, and when the attention of my brother and myself was first attracted by
