ADDITIONS SINCE 1899. 283 



ScLLLY. — A regular spring bird of passage, singly and in 

 small parties. In April, 1903, five were seen together on 

 Castle Down, Tresco. Has not been observed in autumn 

 (J. Clark and F. R. Rodd, t.c, 1906, p. 298). 



Hants. — Dr. Gunther stated that he had distinct information 

 that a pair reared their young in 1897 and 1898 in the New 

 Forest. Rev. G. M. Hewett stated that there were nests in 

 the county in 1900 and 1902, and that in the latter year he 

 saw the young ones in the nest {B. Hants., pp. 117 and 118). 



Lincolnshire. — A pair was seen on December 17th, 1906, 

 in Cadney (D. Woodruflfe-Peacock, Nat., 1907, p. 61). 



Cheshire. — An immature bird was shot near Sale*on Sep- 

 tember 21st, 1904 (C. Oldham, Zool., 1904, p. 429) ; a male 

 was taken near Chester on August 29th, 1906 (A. Newstead, 

 t.c, 1906, p. 393). 



North Wales. — Of rare and uncertain occurrence. Three 

 occurred about April 22nd, 1901, at Rhosneigr, Dolgelley 

 and Mold respectively {Vert. Fauna N. Wales, Tp. 203). 



CUCKOO Cuculus canorus L. S. page 287.* 



Breeding habits. — A circumstantial account of an old 

 Cuckoo ejecting newly-hatched Wagtails immediately before 

 the hatching of a young Cuckoo in the nest (H. H. Godwin- 

 Austen, Zool., 1899, p. 135). An egg in a Song Thrush's nest 

 weighing 62.5 grains (R. H. Read, t.c, 1900, p. 520). A Cuckoo 

 watched immediately before placing its egg in a nest was 

 beUeved to be carrying it in the throat (A. H. Meiklejohn, 

 t.c, 1900, p. 262). In an interesting article by the Rev. 

 E. A. Woodruffe-Peacock the following facts may be noted : — 

 A Cuckoo observed to lay her egg on tlie top of a bank and 

 carry it in the bill to a Wagtail's nest. Incubation lasted 

 fourteen days, and the young Cuckoo hatched first. On the 

 fourth day it began to thrust its foster-brothers from the nest, 

 and by the eighth it was the only occupant. It fledged in 

 three weeks. The various notes of the Cuckoo are described. 

 Evidence is given of the old bird turning out of the nest the 

 eggs of the fosterer {Nat., 1900, pp. 99-108). A record of 

 one taking an egg from a Titlark's nest and replacing it with 

 one of its own {B. Yorks., Vol. I., p. 289). In a " Diary of 

 Observations on a Young Cuckoo " Mr. J. H. Gurney brings 

 out the following facts : — Egg in a Hedge-Sparrow's nest 



* We think it would jsrove useful to publish a list, brought vip to date, 

 of those birds in the nests of which the Cuckoo's egg has been found. 

 We shall be glad of any information additional to that to be foitnd in 

 Mr. E. Bidwell's hst (Bull. B.O.C., Vol. V., p. xxxii.), or Mr. W. Wells 

 Bladen's hst {North Staffs. Nat. Field Club Trans., Vol. XXX., p. 30). 



