70 Mr. R. M. Christy, Natural History Notes.
placed in the thrush's nest, the bottom of the latter would
have rendered it impossible for the nuthatch to get inside,
much less to set on eggs there.
I shall be glad to hear any explanation of the cir-
cumstance, as I confess myself much puzzled with it.
R. M. C.
Saffron Walden, May 24th, 1880.
IV.
(Read June 26th, 1880.)
Notes as to the health and condition of the various creatures
which in a way are under our charge as members of the
County Club should at all times be welcome at our meetings.
I am sorry to report that I lately procured a fine trout
thickly covered with the disease which, when occurring
on salmon, is called "fungus," and which has lately been
working great havoc with that fish in some of the rivers in
the north of England. This specimen I first noticed on
the 23rd of March last, and resolved, after seeing its state,
to remove it. This was in the brook Cann, which runs
past our house at Chignal St. James, where there are a
few nice fish, but they do not seem to increase much in
numbers. It was very sluggish, and would only move a
short distance on being frightened. After several inef-
fectual attempts to obtain it, I at last fired at the fish in a
shallow place and killed it stone dead. It must have
been by the concussion, however, as not a shot actually
touched the fish. It was a very fine specimen, 191/2 inches
long and weighing 21bs. 10oz., and very much covered with
fungus, of a dirty white colour; at least the half of its
entire surface being affected. It was on the back prin-
cipally, and the dorsal fin in particular. Not being a
great angler, I do not possess much knowledge of the
salmon disease, but thinking it at any rate to be some-
thing new for the disease to attack trout, and that in a
little country brook, unpolluted by manufactories and