124 THE QUERIST. 



Harlequin Duck, (Fuligula histrionica.) — In "The Naturalist/' vol. vii., 

 page 163, there is a notice copied from the Davenport Journal, of a female 

 Harlequin Duck shot at Maxstoke Castle, on the 7th. of April, 1857. I 

 have lately made particular inquiries respecting the above, and I am in- 

 formed, on undoubted authority, that the bird which was mistaken for the 

 female of that rare Duck, was in reality a female Scaup Duck, (Fuligida 

 marila.) — Henry Buckley, Calthorpe Street, Birmingham, April 3rd., 1858. 



£\)i tori± 



[ Feeding Snakes. — The best way of feeding the Common Snake is to 

 push a piece of bread soaked in milk, or a young mouse, down its throat, 

 with a goose quill, (not cut at the end,) and then to leave the Snake 

 entirely to itself, in a warm sunshiny place, for four or five days, with a 

 saucer of milk in its box, only approaching it to change the milk. In 

 this way I have always succeeded in getting Snakes to feed freely. — Charles 

 Ellis, Cookham Dean, Maidenhead. 



In answer to John Brown's question as to the food of the English 

 Snake, I think he will find that it will eat mice, and some of the 

 smaller birds. — A. H., Spring Hill, Northampton, March loth., 1858. 



Bird-nesting in the Fens of Cambridgeshire and Norfolk. — Can any of the 

 readers of "The Naturalist" inform me when is the best time for a 

 Bird-nesting expedition into the Fens of Cambridgeshire and Norfolk? Also 

 which are the chief spots that should be visited, and on what part of the 

 coast are the principal breeding-stations of the Gulls, Terns, Guillemots, 

 etc., situated? — Henry Buckle?, Calthorpe Street, Birmingham, March 

 15th„ 1858. 



[Mr. M. C. Cooke, Trinity Church School, Lambeth, London, is the very 

 person to give the above information; and I have no doubt he will be as 

 willing as he is able to do so. — P. 0. Morris.] 



Melohmtha vulgaris. — In "The Naturalist" for January, I saw a query 

 about Melolontha vulgaris being found in a perfect state in the winter. I 

 do not think that it is an uncommon circumstance, as I have three or four 

 times found a considerable number collected together, in holes, under the 

 roots of trees in hedges, in January and February; and last year, on one 

 occasion, I found forty-eight in one bunch. — Charles Ellis, Cookham 

 Dean, Maidenhead. 



[This seems conclusive. — F. 0. Morris.] 



