NOTES—ORIGINAL AND SELECTED.
191
The specimens shown and explanations given proved to be of great interest
to the numerous visitors, and it is evident that occasional demonstrations of the
kind would be a welcome feature in the work of the Museum.
NOTES—ORIGINAL AND SELECTED.
MAMMALS.
Abnormal Horse.—Mr. Newton's account, at the meeting
on 29th January, of the equine remains found at Bishop's
Stortford, and his explanation of the differences between the
modern horse and its ancestor, the Hipparion, reminded me of an
abnormal horse which was exhibited, many years ago, as one of
the attractions at the annual pleasure fair at Ingatestone. This
was described by the showman as a "twelve-legged" horse, and
I have a vivid recollection of its appearance. It was, in reality,
the well-set-up skin of a young tridactyl horse, of heavy build
and in colour a bright bay. The two small extra digits of each
foot dangled superfluously at the sides of the large and functiona
hoofs, to which they were obviously unnecessary adjuncts. The
hoofs of these extra digits were small and distorted, resembling
rather claws than hoofs of the normal shape. The rarity of such
reversions to ancestral types seems to render their occurrence
worth recording, as confirmatory evidence of the evolution of
the horse of to-day from the ancient Hipparion.—Alexander J.
Hogg, Shirley, Rayleigh, Essex, 3rd March 1910.
BIRDS.
Great Crested Grebes at Wanstead.—Passing the sheet
of water in the centre of the Wanstead Park golf links, known
as the "Basin," on the evening of 6th April, I was both
astonished and delighted to see a Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps
cristatus) swimming thereon. This bird was again seen on the
8th; and, on the 10th, it had been joined by another. Both
birds were in beautiful plumage and seemed quite at their ease,
swimming and diving and arranging their feathers with perfect
composure. They occasionally uttered low jarring cries. They
were thus seen on several occasions. Sometimes they closely
approached each other and, holding their heads erect, with