Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 4 (1900).djvu/214

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186
THE ZOOLOGIST.

NOTES AND QUERIES.


MAMMALIA.

INSECTIVORA.

Varieties of Mole.—The variety of Talpa europæa mentioned by Mr. Forrest (ante, p. 142) is not at all uncommon in some parts of the country. In their various stages they are known to the Mole-catchers as "blue" Moles. I have several in my possession. The most difficult variety of Mole to get hold of is one spotted with white—at least that is my experience. I have a good series of skins, but have never been able so far to obtain a spotted example.

With regard to Water Shrews being found far from water, I have several times noticed this, and have picked them up dead when shooting on dry sandy land, where the nearest pond or stream was some mile or so away.—Oxley Grabham (Heworth, York).

Lesser Shrew in Shropshire.—The Rev. W. Lightfoot Harrison, of Great Woolaston, sent me, on March 15th, a little animal which he had found in his garden the previous day. On examination it proved to be a specimen of the Lesser Shrew (Sorex pygmæus), a species which has never before been recorded in Shropshire. It will be placed in the Shrewsbury Museum.— H.E. Forrest (Bayston Hill, near Shrewsbury).

UNGULATA.

Equus quagga, L.—I have for some time been collecting information regarding the Quagga of South Africa, which, it is feared, is now wholly extinct, though other members of the family still survive in sadly diminished numbers. I should be glad for any information on the following points: Former range of the Quagga; range of variation in colour, if any; breeding season; Quaggas born in captivity; Quagga hybrids with Horse or other animal; date when a living Quagga was last seen in its old haunts; any aged animal still living in captivity. I have already details of external characters, male and female, and fœtal young; food; museum specimens; Lord Morton's Quagga hybrid, and so on. I should specially like to hear of any specimens preserved in museums; my list already comprises London, Edinburgh, York, Manchester, Paris, Leyden, Amsterdam, Berlin, Berne,