regions referred to, yet I think the facts advanced do not admit of the supposition that the collections made by the recent Arctic Expedition do not fairly represent that of Smith Sound and northward— from lat. 79° to 82° 30' N.
Number of Recent Mollusca obtained in Davis Strait, and Northwards in the American Arctic Circle.
| Expeditions. | Localities. | Latitudes. | Species obt'ned. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 'Valorous,' Jeffreys | Davis Strait | 60°–70°N. | 122 | |||
| Belcher | Northumberland and Wellington Channels |
75°–77°N. | 45 | |||
| Hayes | Port Foulke | 78°–79° | 21 | |||
| British Arctic of 1875–76 |
Smith Sound | 79°–82°30' | 35 |
OCCASIONAL NOTES.
Black Rat in Somersetshire.—On September 18th one of our village cats distinguished herself by capturing a fine specimen of a Black Rat, the only example of this ancient breed which has ever fallen under my observation.—M.A. Mathew (Bishop's Lydeard).
Absence of the Weasel from Ireland.—It is a pity that the few who believe in the existence of the Weasel in Ireland have never been able to produce an Irish specimen. Some years ago a friend of mine made it known that he would give £5 to anyone who would bring him such an animal; yet up to the present time not one has been produced.—W. Kinsey Dover (Castle Connor, Ballina, Co. Mayo).
Wild Cat in the Isle of Wight.—It may be inferred from the Editor's scepticism in regard to the alleged existence of the Wild Cat in the South of England (p. 339) that he believes in its existence in the North. What dwellers in the New Forest may think of it I know not; it may not have been met with there, but of its occurrence here there can be no doubt. This Cat is not "of hearth-rug ancestry" I am confident. Countless generations could not have so transformed it; but, however that may be, here it is, and may be inspected. Having so recently described a Wild Cat from Inverness-shire ('Zoologist,' 1876, p. 4791), the minute description of another would be a work of supererogation.—Henry Hadfield (Ventnor, Isle of Wight).
Swimming Powers of the Mole.—The following facts concerning the swimming powers of the Mole were communicated to me the other day by my brother-in-law, the Rev. Geoffrey Hill. He was fishing on Loch
