1909. Notes, 243 



Mayo Bird Notes. 



To the Zoologist for Februar)', 1909, Robert Warreu records from P.allina 

 the passage of fourteen snow-geese in December, 1906, and of four in 

 December, 1908, while in the same magazine for June, he contributes 

 some miscellaneous notes dealing with birds observed near Ballina 

 during the spring. 



Buff at Inch; Co. Donegal. 



On 23rd September, Mr. Ashmead Bond shot a RufF {Machetes pugnax) 



at Inch, Co. Donegal. It was an adult female in good plumage. This is 



the third record from Inch. 



D. C. Campbei,!,. 

 I,ondonderr\\ 



Food of Birds. 



Ivy Berries (see I,N., September, p. 207) are occasionally eaten by 

 Mistle-Thrushes, and no doubt others ; but I have long been accustomed 

 to look upon them as in a peculiar sense the property of the Blackbird, 

 and have sometimes even been tempted to go so far as to speculate on a 

 possibly more than accidental correlation in colour between the bird 

 and the berries. The injury to Primrose blossoms (p. 203) is most 

 probably the work of Greenfinches. 



W. B. Hart. 



Kilderry, Londonderr5\ 



Primrose Blossoms eaten by Sparrows. 



In the September number of the Irish Naturalist (p. 203, supra)^ Mr. 

 W. P. Westell asks for information with regard to primrose blossoms 

 nipped off in pieces in the spring. I have several times seen the 

 common House Sparrow {Passer domesticus) busily engaged in this work 

 and have known a row of plants to be deflowered by them. 



F. C. R. JOURDAIN. 



Clifton, Ashburne, Derbyshire. 



Supposed Poisoning by ' Cuckoo-spittle." 



Has any one noticed or heard that young birds, such as chickens, 

 ducklings, or pheasants are poisoned by eating the insect commonly 

 known as cuckoo-spittle? There seemed to be a great deal of it 

 last spring, and it has been announced that in a certain midland district 

 in Ireland young pheasants, fowls , and ducks were poisoned, and 

 " frothed at the mouth " from picking cuckoo-spittle off" the grasses and 

 weeds. As in the case referred to 15 per cent, of these young pheasants 

 and a number of young wild-ducks and common fowl died, it is believed, 

 from this cause, it would be of importance to poultry-farmers and game- 

 rearers to investigate the matter. 



E. Shaw. 



Bushy Park, Terenure. 



