70 THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST 



both dark and lighter coloured forms occur all over the 

 country. 



Like Mr Witherby, I have most carefully compared all 

 the specimens, but fail to find any other differences whatever. 

 This being so, it seems foolish to name the British and 

 Dutch form as a subspecies. 



No one wishes to restrict the investigation of geographical 

 races or even colour variations, and, if it please the 

 investigator, let him name the former, but where no 

 differences exist, excepting minor ones in colour, we hope 

 ornithologists will set their faces against such a practice. As 

 Dr Elliot Coues wrote some years ago, " It is useless to 

 divide and subdivide beyond the fair average ability of 

 ornithologists to recognise and verify the result." From 

 the material I have examined I have no hesitation in saying 

 that both light and dark coloured birds breed in both 

 Holland and England as well as in Italy. This being so, 

 it is obviously inadvisable to attempt to separate this 

 proposed subspecies, as the two forms breed in the same 

 area. 



[The introduction of this species into Yorkshire by 

 Charles Waterton in 1843 must be regarded as a failure. 

 Only five birds were liberated, and no colony was 

 founded. Eds.]. 



Cuckoo's Eggs in the nest of Common Sandpiper. 



A friend of mine was fishing in the " Watch," a tributary of the Dye, 

 on 28th May 19 19, when he flushed a Common Sandpiper from her 

 nest. On going to take a look at the nest he was surprised to find 

 that it contained six eggs, four typical Sandpiper's eggs and two 

 smaller greyish speckled eggs, which he recognised as Cuckoo's. 

 As he thought the occurrence remarkable he called his companion 

 to come and see the nest, but unfortunately it did not occur to 

 either of them to take the nest and its contents. I believe the 

 circumstance to be unique and have every confidence in my 

 informant's accuracy ; he takes a great interest in birds and knows 

 the eggs of the Cuckoo well. T. G. Laidlaw, Duns. 



