but Mr. Harting is no doubt right in saying that Linnæus may also have been influenced by the colour. No one can lament the necessity for changing familiar names more than I do; but I feel perfectly convinced that the sooner we boldly make such changes as are demanded by the laws of priority, the sooner we shall attain stability in nomenclature. I do not quite understand the meaning of the last paragraph of the editorial note about the transference of the Weasel from the genus Mustela, in which Linnæus placed it, to the genus Putorius. M. martes was the type of the genus Mustela, of which the first division was made by Cuvier, who gave the name Putorius to the Stoats and Weasels; bnt I do not know whether we are to infer from the editorial that Mr. Harting considers the Martens and Weasels to be congeneric. If not, I cannot understand his objection, as presumably he would sanction the transference of the Otter from the genus Mustela, in which Linnæus placed it, to the genus Lutra, and the same with the Badger and the rest.—OLDFIELD THOMAS.

[If it be the fact, as stated, that the Weasel occasionally has a black tip to the tail, or at least black hairs in the tip of the tail, and also habitually turns white in winter throughout the northern portion of its continental range, it is, of course, possible that Linnæus's description of Mustela nivalis may apply to the Weasel, instead of to the Stoat as most people would naturally infer on reading the diagnosis; but the point being in doubt, we should prefer to leave the specific name of the Weasel, vulgaris, unchanged. In the course of thirty years' experience (1865-1895), after shooting in almost every part of the British Islands, and examining the vermin killed and hung up by gamekeepers, we have never recognized a Weasel with any conspicuous black hairs in the tail; and the very few white ones we have seen were albinos, not necessarily killed in winter. As to the removal of the Weasel from the genus Mustela, naturally, we now-adays regard the Martens as generically distinct from the Weasels and Stoats; but as the late Mr. Alston, whom Mr. Thomas professes to follow (p. 177), placed the Martens as Nilsson did, in the genus Martes, as other writers have done before and since he wrote (P. Z. S., 1879, p. 468), we should have been content to leave them there.-ED.]

The Irish Stoat in the Isle of Man.-It will interest all students of British Zoology to hear that a specimen corresponding in every respect with typical examples of Putorius hibernicus has been presented to the British Museum by Mr. P. M. C. Kermode, of Ramsey, who had received it from Lewaigue, near that town. This fact confirms Mr. Kermode's view (Zool. 1893, p. 61), that the Manx fauna is more nearly related to that of Ireland than that of Britain, although it should be confessed that the Hare found there (also sent by Mr. Kermode) is the Brown and not the Alpine Hare. It now becomes more important than ever that Stoats from the parts of Britain nearest to Ireland should be properly examined; and

specimens from the south-western parts of Scotland, Galloway, the Lake region of Cumberland, Anglesey, Cornwall, and the Scilly Islands, will be most gratefully accepted. Should Stoats from any of these localities show an approach to the Irish form, it will render it probable that the latter should be looked upon as a geographical subspecies, well marked in its own locality, but grading elsewhere into another form. No British specimens as yet seen, however, have shown the smallest tendency to such approach.OLDFIELD THOMAS (Natural History Museum).

Bank Vole in Bedfordshire.-I have often noticed Voles frequenting hedgerows in Bedfordshire that I suspected were of this species, and in April last, whilst spending a few days in that county, I was able to confirm my views by trapping several specimens in different localities.-J. S. ELLIOTT (Dixon's Green, Dudley).

Food of the Bank Vole.-A propos of the remarks on this subject by Mr. Teesdale (p. 186) I may mention that, in the autumn of 1869, during a short visit to Hampshire, I noticed in the cornfields near Alresford a number of heaps of the carpels of Ranunculus repens, many of which contained a good handful. All the carpels had a minute semicircular piece bitten out of the margin. In every instance of the many I examined the seed had been extracted, and although the sides of the carpel had obviously been opened, they were not separated from each other, but had firmly come together again. I had no doubt that the seeds had been eaten by mice, but could not determine to what species they belonged. The exceeding delicacy of this operation seemed to indicate that it was one of the smaller kind, e. g., the Field Mouse, but there were no holes of these in the immediate vicinity of the heaps, which were most numerous near the outside of the field. It is possible that they were brought together by the Bank Vole, but it seems unlikely that it would eat such small seeds, or that it would deal so cleverly with them. It would be interesting if some resident in that district could solve the question.-JOHN LOWE (4, Gloucester Place, Portman Square).

BIRDS.

Rooks in London.-Some time ago I had to report (Zool. 1889, p. 27) the almost total disappearance of Rooks from the West End of London. I think I may now state that they have not quite deserted that part of London, although their behaviour has been somewhat erratic. The birds left Kensington Gardens for the simple reason that their nesting trees were cut down. They resented the insult, and though there were plenty of available trees close by, they forsook the locality until 1892, when a solitary nest was built in the south-western corner of Kensington Gardens. In the following year, however, a strong colony took up their quarters in the trees bordering the Bayswater end of the Broad Walk, that is, the north-western

corner of Kensington Gardens. There were some fifteen or sixteen nests; at the same time some eight or ten nests were built in Connaught Square; five in Stanhope Place; and two in a plane-tree in Albion Street. When I saw this I quite thought that the re-establishment of the Rook at the West End was a fait accompli; but, alas, it was not so. In 1894 the birds returned to their breeding-place in Kensington Gardens, but when they had partially built their nests they suddenly disappeared, and the site was absolutely deserted and has not since been re-occupied. At the same time (1894) Albion Street and Connaught Square were deserted. I can, however, state that the little colony at Stanhope Place this year consists of three nests, and there are five nests in Connaught Square.-JOHN Young (64, Hereford Road, Bayswater).

Food of the Firecrest and Little Bustard.- A female Firecrest, Regulus ignicapillus, which I dissected last October, had been feeding on minute beetles. A little Bustard, Otis tetrax, contained a great quantity of larger beetles and grasshoppers, in addition to what appeared to be the tops of turnips.-HUGH A. MACPHERSON (Carlisle).

The Food of Woodpeckers.-The nature of the food of American Woodpeckers has been investigated by Mr. F. E. L. Beal from an examination of more than 600 stomachs. He has found that the Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers (Dryobates villosus and pubescens) feed chiefly on harmful insects, eating also wild fruits and seeds. The Flicker (Colaptes auratus) subsists largely on ants, of which insects more than 3000 were contained in each of two stomachs. This species also eats other noxious insects and some wild fruit. The food of the Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) is largely insects, nearly all harmful, with wild fruit and some corn and cultivated fruit. The Yellow-bellied Woodpecker, or Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius), feeds largely on the inner bark and sap of trees, eating also ants and other insects, and is the only species taking more vegetable than animal food.

Crossbill feeding on Insects.-In 'The Zoologist' for 1890 (p. 414), a reference will be found to the common Crossbill feeding on aphides. In May of the present year four adult Crossbills were brought to me, which had been shot out of a large flock. On dissecting these birds I found that they had been feeding upon small flies and minute beetles, in addition to the seeds of a conifer. The insects in question were numerously represented.-H. A. MACPHERSON (Carlisle).

Cuckoo's Egg in Wren's Nest.-In the early part of May I found a Cuckoo's egg in a Wren's nest. The nest was placed in the usual positionbeneath the matted and exposed roots of a tree in the channel of a water. course. The egg did not sufficiently assimilate those of the Wren to be remarkable; but there was a curious zone of a lighter colour than the rest

of the egg round the middle, and a darkening of the smaller end, which were noticeable. Strangely enough, when passing the spot some three weeks later, I found another Wren's nest within a few yards of the former one, in which was another Cuckoo's egg in addition to three of the rightful owner. Being somewhat curious to ascertain whether there was any peculiarity in the two Cuckoo's eggs which would indicate their common parentage, I took the second specimen home and compared it with the other, with the result that I found an almost perfect uniformiy both in size and colour. Now, however doubtful be the significance of the former fact, it must be admitted that the latter is at least suggestive; as, although the eggs of different individuals of the same species may be so variable as to render the circumstance of two being found of the same size but a slender basis for identifying them with the same bird, yet the manner in which the colouring matters and markings are disposed furnishes an almost sure test, aud I found in each egg the same indefinite zone and somewhat darkened smaller end. Assuming-and there certainly seems no reason to regard the assumption as insecure that the two eggs were the produce of the same individual, the instance would seem to lend credence to the likelihood expressed in Prof. Newton's 'Dictionary of Birds' (article "Cuckoo," pt. I., pp. 122-124) of individual female Cuckoos only introducing their eggs into the nests of one particular species, and not indiscriminately into those of any of the birds usually selected as foster-parents. In the two cases in point, it is certain that the nests chosen for the introduction of the alien eggs were not selected as being the only available or most convenient. Indeed, the insertion of the egg in the former could not have been unattended with considerable difficulty, for it must have been deposited. with either the bird's bill or feet without alighting; and the vicinity is one abounding in hedgerows and banks which afford suitable nesting-places for Hedgesparrows and Robins and other dupes of the Cuckoo.-W. C. J. RUSKIN BUTTERFIELD (Stanhope Place, St. Leonards-on-Sea).

Cuckoo's Eggs in Whitethroat's Nest.-On May 28th I found a Greater Whitethroat's nest containing two eggs and one of a Cuckoo's. I took the Cuckoo's egg. Going again on the 31st, I found the Whitethroat had laid one more egg, and had then commenced to sit. This is rather unusual, as the normal number of eggs is generally five. The nest was situated in a hedge at the top of a high bank, bordering a road which was little frequented. I mentioned the fact to Prof. Howes, and he suggested that it might be of some interest to your readers, as a Cuckoo laying in a Greater Whitethroat's nest is of somewhat rare occurrence.-W. LEONARD S. LOAT (Southborough, Tunbridge Wells).

Early Laying of Cuckoos.- Cuckoos seem to me to have laid unusually early this season, and the following dates may therefore be

worth recording. I have, as a rule, commenced to search for the eggs of this species about May 20th, continuing up to about June 10th, and most of the eggs I possess-about eighteen or twenty in all-were taken during the first week in June. To my surprise, however, this year I received a letter from a reliable correspondent residing in Surrey, dated May 14th, saying that he had already taken seventeen Cuckoos' eggs in the neighbourhood of Byfleet, the first having been found on April 30th. On May 25th I found in the ivy over a potting-shed in my garden here a Robin's nest containing a young Cuckoo about a week old, so that the egg from which it was hatched must have been laid quite at the beginning of May; and I also heard of another young bird in this neighbourhood rather older, so that the egg in that instance must have been laid earlier still. The young bird in my garden was discovered by my noticing four young Robins-only just hatched; in fact, one was still in the broken shelllying on the ground below the nest, and on looking into the nest to ascertain the cause, I found a young Cuckoo in possession: he must have turned his companions out, therefore, almost as soon as he was hatched. From the actions of the birds, I have no doubt that they are still laying as usual, and I am inclined to think that the early eggs were the result of the exceptionally warm weather we experienced this year at the beginning of May.-E. A. BUTLER, Lt. Col. (Brettenham Park, Suffolk).

Curious fate of a Cuckoo.-I was recently shown the remains of a Cuckoo preserved in such a way as to show the manner in which it met with its death. It is a hen bird, and seems to have been pushing its way into a bush in search of a small bird's nest. It must have used some degree of force, and had thrust its head into the fork of a fairly stout branch, when a more slender twig which had "given" a little, springing back into place," clenched" the head behind, so that the bird could not withdraw it. When found the bird was dead, and had been hanging for some days.— J. H. SALTER (University College, Aberystwyth).

Palæornis rosea breeding in Confinement.-Late in the summer of 1893 I purchased two pairs of the Burmese Blossom-headed Parrakeet, Palæornis rosea, in nestling plumage. They were newly imported, rough in feathering, and their wings had been clipped; consequently I obtained them at a very reasonable figure. In this early stage the young birds are much alike, but the hens are somewhat stouter in build, and their plumage is rather duller than that of the cocks; both sexes, however, unlike P. cyanocephalus, have the purplish brown patch on the wing-coverts. Towards spring both males came into colour, but both sexes of one pair which I kept in a heated aviary failed to reproduce the primaries which had been cut off, and died soon after their moult: I then discovered that the bone had been injured by the knife of the native, who had maimed them.