70 



€liB (Tlttrriijt. 



Qurri/ as to the Ticl-b^cked Shrike depositing its egg in other birds' nests. — "Would you be 

 kind onougli to inform me whether the Eed-backcd Shrike, C La)iius Collnrio,) ever lajs, like 

 the Cuckoo, in other birds' nests; for an egg has been brought to me very similur to that bird's 

 egg, which was found in a Hedge-Sparrow's nest, and the next day the nest was brought to 

 tnc with a lledgo-Sparrow's egg in it, pecked in at the top and sucked clean. If you could 

 give me information on this subject I should be greatly obliged. — Fued. W. S. Webbeii, 

 Callipers llall, Rickniansworth, Herts. 



We imagine the explanation of the above fact to be that a female Shrike, as many birds 

 will do, deposited her egg in the Hedge-Sparrow's nest, het own not being ready for it. The 

 sucking of the Hedge-Sparrow's egg afterwards may have been by a Jay or Magpie. — B. R. M. 



In answer to a question which appeared in "The Naturalist" of last month, regarding the 

 autumnal breeding of the Wood Pigeon, {Cohtmba palmnbus,) I beg leave to inform your 

 correspondent that I found a nest of this species in Hulne "Woods, near Alnwick, during the 

 last week of October, 1853, containing two young ones. They appeared to be about a fortnight 

 ohl. — "William Aumsthong, Alnwick, February 3rd., 1854. 



In answer to George Hodge's, Esq. inquirj% in connection with finding "five white eggs, 

 about the size of a Yellow Hammer's," I have just met in Part xxxiv. of "Meyer's British 

 Birds," now issuing, that "he has specimens of the Eggs of the Yellow Bunting, {Emberiza 

 citrinella,) of a spotless milk-white, and others plain stone-colour, without any spot or line 

 whatever." I myself have a perfectly white egg taken from a Yellow Hammer's nest, but the 

 surface "is not highly polished," but very rough and uneven, which I have thought resulted 

 from, the age of the bird perhaps, in connection with some peculiar disease. The "Wryneck 

 I believe usually selects elevated spots for nidifi -ation, as hollow or pollard trees, etc. — G. R. 

 Twivx, Bawburgh Hill, Norwich, February 9th., 1854. 



Are the eggs mentioned by G. Hodge, Esq., in "The Naturalist," vol iv. page 46, those of 

 the Blackstart, {Sglvia Tithijsf) — Henuy Buckley, Calthorpc Street, Birmingham, February 

 2nd., 1854. 



"We ventured on the suggestion that they were the eggs of the Wryneck, having more than 

 on<;e heard of its selecting a similar situation for its nest in the North of England, near York. 

 — B. 11. M. 



Preserving Birds and small Quadnqieds by means of Ether. — Has any reader of "The 

 Naturalist," ever used ether in preserving birds and quadrupeds. If go, I shall feel obliged by 

 any remarks from thera, as I am now engaged in conducting a series of experiments with it 

 {ether.) The results of which will be laid before the readers of "The Naturalist." — J. Mc'Intosh. 



In "Patterson's Zoology," he makes mention of a purple dye, which makes an indelible 

 marking- ink, found in the I)og- whelk, ( Fnrpnra lapillKS,) which I take to be what is sometinics 

 called the Horse-whelk, the colour of which varies from white to light straw. What I wish 

 to know is how to obtain the dye contained in a wliitish coloured vein close to the head; is 

 it by bruising the whole animal, or how.'— R. 



I do not know whether there is any person in London, or elsewhere, who keeps Cabinets, etc., 

 for collections of insects, and other objects of Natural History, ready-made for sale, but if not, 

 I think it very desirable that there should be some such general rc^pository, exclusively devoted 

 to the sale of such articles, where all kinds of needful articles for the purpose might be kept. 

 But I more particularly desire to observe that it would be a great advantage, and as far as 

 I know, a new feature in any such establishment, to have the cabinets, etc., with labels all 

 ready put in them, cut out of the most approved lists; and also eases for birds of all proper 

 sizes ready papered and with labels, etc. This would promote a sale, and so remunerate the 

 vendors, and a world of time and trouble would be saved to purchasers. — F. 0. Moukis, Nafierton 

 Vicai-age, Driffield, December 13th., 1853. 



