VOL. X.] NOTES. 97 



later work was produced after Seebohm's death, and Dr. R. B. 

 Sharpe, who compilfid the letterpress, was not an oologist. 

 It would, however, be easy to settle the point definitely by 

 examination of the eggs from which the figures were drawn 

 in the British Museum, but the authorities have not only 

 closed the egg galleries to the pubHc but also refuse to issue 

 permits to students to work there until further notice, so that 

 the point cannot be definitely settled at present. — F.C.R.J.] 



COCK PHEASANT KILLING CHICKS. 



The head keeper on an estate near St. Albans, one of the 

 most persistent slayers of hawks that I know, recently told 

 ]ne that he had a number of coops in which he was rearing 

 young pheasants, in a field which was bordered on one side 

 by a spinney. None of the birds were touched, except those 

 from one coop nearest the wood, where they dwindled from 

 fourteen to eight. Acting on information from a countryman 

 who had twice seen a cock Pheasant come out from the wood 

 and pick up a chick, the keeper, after watching some time, 

 saw the Pheasant come out and seize a chick, but before 

 he was able to reach the wood he received the contents of 

 the keeper's gmi. I know the man well and am convinced 

 that he is thoroughly reliable. W. Rowan. 



[The depraved habit in this case was not necessarily for the 

 sake of food, but Pheasants, though mainly vegetarian in 

 their diet, will also take animal food. Instances have been 

 recorded of their swallowing field voles, young vipers, glow- 

 worms and lizards. — F.C.R.J.] 



Cuckoo's Egg in Goldcrest's Nest. — Mr. E. L. Wood 

 (Zoologist 1916, p. 275) states that on June 10th, 1916, he found 

 a Cuckoo's egg in a nest of Goklcrest (Regulus r. anglormn) 

 which was still unfinished and lacked the lining. The egg 

 was partly embedded in the nest material. The only previous 

 record of this foster-parent of the Cuckoo from the British 

 Isles is Mr. H. S. Davenport's account of a yoimg Cuckoo 

 which was actually reared in his garden at Dunmow, Essex, 

 by a pair of Goldcrests (c/. Field, June ?rd, 1911 ; BriU'sh 

 Birds, v., pp. 58 and 84.) 



