364 Letters, Extracts from Correspondence, Notices, S^c. 



1. C. glandarius ; 3 C comix. No. 3. Young : — 2 C.glandarius ; 

 3 C. comix. 



April 20, 1863. Abousir. 

 No. 4, Eggs : — 1 C. glandarius ; 3 C. comix. 



In both instances where the eggs were hatched the young 

 Cuckoos were much more forward than the Crows, being com- 

 fortably feathered, whilst the latter were still naked. Whether 

 this proceeds from the egg of C. glandarius requiring less incuba- 

 tion than those of C. comix, or whether the female Cuckoo lays 

 in new, empty nests, has yet to be ascertained, though the fact 

 that one Cuckoo's egg had the transparent appearance peculiar 

 to freshly-laid eggs, whilst those of the Crow in the same nest 

 had been laid some time, would seem to favour the former sup- 

 position. From the very first there is no possibility of mistaking 

 the identity of the two birds, even without reference to the zygo- 

 dactylic structure of the foot. 



Only such nests appear to be chosen by the female Cuckoo as 

 are built in the " sont "-groves ; for we never found any in those 

 built in isolated trees — rather a favourite position with C. comix. 



The C. glandarius has three distinct notes — the ordinary cry 

 of the S , " Kee ou ! kee ou !," a short, grating note of warn- 

 ing or alarm, uttered by the S when disturbed, '' Cark ! cark \," 

 and a kind of angry chattering, that of the $ which I have 

 heard answering the first-mentioned. 



During the same excursion, amongst other less important 

 acquisitions, I obtained several eggs of Bubo ascalaphus, and a 

 live $ bird caught on the nest, and two of Pt erodes exustus, 

 also with the ? bird. 



I am, Sir, yours &c., 



S. Stafford Allen. 



To the Editor of ' The Ibis.' 

 Sir, — It is pleasant to notice the flight of ' The Ibis' into the 

 valleys of the Apennines and among the peaks of the Pennine 

 Alps ; and we welcome the notes of our first Italian contributor. 

 Dr. Salvadori. May I hazard a conjecture on the Doctor's in- 

 ference as to the existence of the Snow Bunting [Plectrophanes 

 nivalis) as a permanent resident on the Apennines ? Were it so. 



