Letters, Extracts from Correspondence, Notices, ^c. 363 



where birds were shot, having met with them throughout the 

 whole of Egypt, from Damietta to Assouan, and in one instance 

 in Nubia, where, by-the-by, I have never met with C. comix. 

 I may further add, that this year the C, glandarius was more 

 plentiful than last, and appeared to be a remarkably early 

 breeder, as may be seen by reference to the dates. 



I am. Sir, yours &c., 



J. H. Cochrane. 



To the Editor of ' The Ibis.' 



Genoa, June 6, 1863. 



Sir, — My friend Mr. J. H. Cochrane having informed me 

 of his intention of communicating to ' The Ibis ' the results of 

 his observations on the parasitic habits of Cuculus glandarius, I 

 venture to trouble you, by way of supplement, with a few notes 

 of my own on the same subject which I have been able to make 

 since his return to Europe, and which, though they contain 

 nothing fresh, are so entirely corroborative of his remarks, that 

 I think we may consider the question fairly set at rest. 



Being encamped for a few days near Dashoor (a village some 

 20 miles S.S.W. of Cairo), for collecting-purposes, about the 

 middle of April of the present year, my attention was called to 

 the presence of several spotted Cuckoos in a long line of " sont "- 

 groves which extends along the edge of the desert, with slight 

 interruptions, from beyond Dashoor to Abousir, a distance of 

 some eight miles. 



A close search after the nests of Corvus comix was at once 

 instituted, which was not altogether without success ; for, out of 

 fifteen or sixteen nests examined, four contained either eggs or 

 young of C. glandarius. 



I give the instances below in the order in which they were 

 discovered ; and may remark, that not only did I find all the 

 nests myself, but divided with my Arab attendant the unpleasant 

 task of ascending to them through a perfect chevaux de frise of 

 long thorns, extremely painful to one's feelings. 



April 16, 1863. Dashoor. 

 No. 1. Eggs : — 1 C. glandarius ; 5 C. comix. No. 2. Young : — 



