136 THK QUERIST. 



gratuitous,) as Mr. T. is alone responsible for the error he commits, although he now finds it 

 convenient to say that it appeared in "The Naturalist" on "the authority of the Rev. Mr. L. ;" 

 any ordinary reader, however, would have thought that the name had been given on the authority 

 of Mr. James Taylor himself. Mr. T. must have forgotten that he agreed with me in thinking 

 that I ought to send an account to "The Naturalist," informing me also that he did not intend 

 doing so, the particulars being merely for his own private use. He is also quite mistaken in 

 saying that I told him "that it was 0. truncatus" as I did not once allude to the specific 

 name. Since much of Mr. Taylor's communication wanders far from the point, and not a little 

 of it will be seen to consist of mere surmises, it is not necessary to say more, and I would 

 only hint that, in any future communication, he should mention on whose authority he makes 

 the statements. — John Longmuir, Jun,, Aberdeen, April 15th., 1853. 



We think that no good end can be obtained by further prolonging this controversy, and 

 both parties having now had an opportunity of making their own explanations, we can insert 

 no more on the same subject. — B. R. M. 



€te (knml 



A correspondent asks the comparative size of the eggs of the Goldfinch, and the Chaffinch. 

 The latter is the largest, and there is no resemblance whatever between them. The Goldfinch's 

 egg has a light ground speckled at the large end with brown, and darkish specks and streaks 

 precisely as the Linnet's egg is; while the ChaflBnch's &g^ is a greenish ground with a red blush 

 all over it, and spotted with dark rusty-coloured blotches and lines. The egg of the Sedge 

 "Warbler is a yellow brown kind of a ground with darker specks. The Eeed "Warbler's e^^ is 

 precisely like the Blackcap's, but rather larger. I once had an abundance of the eggs of both 

 varieties, but have now none of the Sedge "Warbler's left. The "Whinchat's egg is a pale blue, 

 precisely like the Hedge "Wai'bler's, the Redstai't's, and the "Wlieatear's; between which there is 

 such a resemblance, that if mixed they could scarcely be identified again, for this reason it is 

 useless to think of buying them from dealers; for, although most bird preservers sell eggs, it is 

 impossible for any one to decide with certainty, unless they actually collect their own eggs. The 

 "Whinchat and Stonechat both breed in profusion on Keston Common, Kent, which is only a 

 short distance from London, and hero an abundance may be procured about the first week in 

 June, and of many other birds in addition. I should say the nest and eggs discovered by your 

 correspondent, were the property of a Blackbird, and the unusual size may be accounted for by 

 the hen being in the prime of life, when the eggs are larger than when laid by a young bird. 

 The Ring Ouzel's eggs are not usually larger than those of the Blackbird, and those I have are 

 almost of a uniform brown, not quite so speckled as those of the latter; however, if the nest 

 was built on the ground, it might have been the Ring Ouzel's, though I have taken scores of 

 Blackbird's nests built in this situation on the top of a bank. — C. W. Brown. 



Common Reed, (Arundo Phragmites,) (Arundo arenaria,) Sand drift. — In answer to the inquiry 

 in "The Naturalist," as to the means of propagating and cultivating the Common Reed round 

 a pond with a gravelly bottom, I would suggest the obvious, and I should think not very 

 difficult plan of transplanting several of the grasses, say about the beginning of April, leaving 

 a quantity of the subsoil attached to the roots. By placing a few of these round the pond, I 

 have no doubt they would gradually extend, and form an enclosure without further trouble. 

 At all events the experiment is worth a trial; and if it does not succeed, the transplanting 

 should be eflfected earlier next season, and a quantity of mud might be mixed with the gravel 

 around the roots. In connexion with this subject it is worthy of note, although I presume 

 the fact is generally well known, that the Arundo arenaria has been planted in the outer 

 Hebrides for curing sand drift, and witli considerable success. In other parts of the world 

 Carex arenaria, Calamdgrostis arenaria, and Plaiitago arenaria, have been employed for the 

 same purpose. "By the cultivation of these plants," says the Rev. Thomas Miluer, "large districts 

 have been reclaimed from utter barrenness, and clothed with stately forests; and countries 

 subject to a periodical invasion of sand, blown over them by the prevalence of certain winds, 

 have been rescued from that calamity, one of the most useful agricultural enterprises of 

 modem times. The plan was first adopted by an engineer, of the name of Bremontier, on 

 the coast of Gascony." — John Rose, M. D., R. N., Haslar Hospital, Gosport, March 7th., 1853. 



