590 Retrospective Criticism. 



inform you, that, had the doctor's late work on ornithology been consulted, 

 it would have been found that the bird in question has been fully described 

 under the name of Leach's petrel ; and that the several birds formerly 

 known by the name of stormy petrels are now found to consist of three 

 distinct species, and are so described in the General History of Birds*, viz. 

 stormy petrel (vol. x. p. 289.), long-legged petrel (vol. x. p. 193.), and 

 Leach's petrel (vol. x. p. 194.) ; all of which are British. There is also a 

 fourth, which has been confounded with the others, and which is figured 

 in the American Ornithology, vol. vii. pi. 60. fig. 6. ; and this is probably the 

 frigate petrel of the General Synopsis and History of Birds. As to the other 

 forked-tail petrel, mentioned (p. 282.) as being 10 in. in length, this is pro- 

 bably the one so called both in the General Synopsis and History of Birds, 

 p. 188., and is a totally different and larger species. It is, therefore, to be 

 hoped that, before the inquisitive naturalist forms his opinion on any orni- 

 thological subject which may come under his observation, he will no longer 

 consult the General Synopsis of Birds, published between forty and fifty 

 years since, as he may meet with fuller information by looking into the 

 General History of Birds of the same author, and which made its appear- 

 ance little more than seven years ago. I am, Sir,yours> &c. — Amtopkilus. 

 April 9. 1832. 



A Wigeon^s Nest in England, — Your correspondent J. C. tells us (p. 384.) 

 he found a wigeon's nest. This is the first time I have ever heard of a 

 wigeon breeding in England. I hope he reared the young, which, he 

 informs us, were hatched from the eggs he carried home. — Charles Water- 

 ton. Walton Hall, May 12. 1832. 



Habits of Incubation of the Carrion Crow {Corvus Corone L.). — Sir, Ob- 

 serving (p. 142.) some remarks, by Mr. Waterton, on Professor Rennie's 

 new edition of Montagu's Ornithological Dictionary, I resolved, during the 

 present season, to ascertain, as far as practicable, the truth of the profes- 

 sor's assertion that the carrion crow does, on leaving its nest, cover the 

 eggs with wool, rabbit's fur, and such like soft materials. Now, though I 

 take Mr. Waterton to be a clever man in his way, yet I think that he treats 

 Mr. Rennie very roughly and unceremoniously ; and, instead of awarding 

 him the merit due to his laborious and successful investigations through 

 the mazes of natural history, he abuses him through thick and thin, and 

 calls his plan of study (the most of which is very excellent) " a mere ex- 

 halation of his own brain," " a kind of will-o'-the-wisp, which will lead his 

 pupils into the swamp of error." However, I will return to the crow. 

 Wishing, as I have before said, to examine their nests; and, by ocular 

 demonstration to convince myself either of the truth or incorrectness of 

 Mr. Rennie's statement, I have, during the past six weeks, ascended, by 

 means of " climbers," no less than four and twenty trees. Fifteen of these 

 nests had eggs; and, out of them all, only one was in anyway "covered." 

 This was built in an elm covered from top to bottom with ivy ; and the 

 eggs in the nest were strewed with a few fresh-picked ivy leaves, which 

 entirely concealed them : indeed, at first, I thought it had been constructed 

 the year before ; but, on removing the leaves, 1 discovered the eggs deeply 

 embedded in soft moss and wool. Now, to account for this seems diffi- 

 cult ; and, I must own, I know of no satisfactory explanation but that the 

 bird, while sitting, might have pecked them off, so closely was she sur- 

 rounded with the leaves, though, perhaps, with no intentional purpose. 

 But what, I think, deceived Mr. Rennie, at first a little deceived me : some 

 of the nests have such deep beds of wool, moss, and cows' hair, that the 

 eggs seemed quite lost ; and might have given the professor his erroneous 

 idea of their being covered with those substances, " to keep them warm." 

 It is well known that the long-tailed titmouse (Parus caudatus L.) lines 



* A General History of Birds, by John Latham, M.D. &c. &c. ; in ten 

 volumes 4to; 1821—1824. 



