76 Mr. W. C. Hcwitson on Recent Discoveries 



breeding. No bird of the duck kind that has white down, as 

 far as I know, places its eggs in an exposed situation. 



The Goosander, Golden Eye, Sheldrake, birds differing much 

 from one another, have all white down, and all lay their eggs in 

 holes of trees when such are to be found, whilst one of them at 

 least has well-coloured eggs. 



Beeston, Nottingham, 

 December 20, 1558. 



VIII. — Recent Discoveries in European Oology. 

 By William C. Hewitson. 



(Plate II.) 



It is with very great pleasure that I find myself again associated 

 with old friends and fellow -labourers in endeavouring to pro- 

 mote a favourite and delightful study. 



Birds' eggs, though beautiful objects in themselves, and 

 amongst the first of God's glorious works which gave utterance 

 to that burst of joy which has never forsaken some of us 

 through life, may be made of the greatest use in ornithological 

 study, and would of themselves alone form a foundation towards 

 a general arrangement of birds. 



For the eggs of the three species now figured and the notes, 

 which accompany them, I am indebted to the Rev. H. B. Tris- 

 tram. They have been discovered since the completion of the 

 third edition of the ' Eggs of British Bii'ds,' and that of the 

 Cursorius is a most valuable addition to our oological knowledge. 



I have adopted those specific names for the three species by 

 which Mr. G. R. Gray has shown that they were first christened. 

 It is quite time that English ornithologists should adopt that 

 golden rule in nomenclature, the right of priority, from which 

 no naturalist should ever deviate. 



CucuLUS GLANDARius, Linn. Great Spotted Cuckoo. Eggs, 

 Plate II. figs. 1, 2. 



The following most interesting account is from the pen of 

 Mr. Tristram. It does not quite settle the question as to the 

 nesting habits of this bird, and does not exonerate it beyond a 



