NOTES. 167 



SLENDER-BILLED NUTCRACKER IN 

 BUCKINGHAMSHIRE. 



On October 7th, 1911, I had a male Nutcracker brought me 

 in the flesh. It was killed in a horse-chestnut tree that 

 morning at the village of Whitchurch, about four miles from 

 Aylesbury. I was told that it was seen in the same tree on 

 the previous day, and was very tame. It was in good con- 

 dition (quite fat). I fancy this is the first recorded instance 

 of the occurrence of a Nutcracker in this county. It is being 

 mounted for the Bucks. County Museum, Aylesbury. 



Subsequently I submitted the bird to Dr. Hartert for 

 examination and he pronounced it to be a specimen of the 

 Siberian race {Nucifraga caryocatactes macrorhyncJms) . Dr. 

 Hartert informs me that by the same post as my letter he 

 had one from a friend in Germany, who stated that Nut- 

 crackers had arrived in his district and that we might 

 expect them in England. Edwin Hollts. 



HOOPOES IN MERIONETH AND SHROPSHIRE. 



On August 7th, 1911, a Hoopoe {Upupa epops) was seen at 

 close-quarters on the hillside above Aberdovey by Mr. Wm. 

 Beattie of London, who knows the bird well, having found 

 it breeding in France. He also tells me that he saw another 

 at Astley Abbotts, near Bridgnorth, one day late in August, 

 ]909. In my Fauna of North Wales (p. 204), only one previous 

 record in Merioneth is given, so the above is worth 

 publishing. Over a dozen previous examples have been 

 noted in Shropshire. H. E. Forrest. 



LATE DATE FOR A CUCKOO'S EGG. 



It might be of some interest to record a late date for the egg 

 of the Cuckoo {Cuculus canonis) from east Norfolk, although 

 the case has been already published in Country Life by Mr. 

 S. H. Lowe, who wrote as follows : "I have been looking 

 through the diary of a Norfolk gamekeeper, and, under the 

 date of July 19th last, he states he found a Cuckoo's egg in a 

 Hedge-Sparrow's nest," etc. 



As I know that the keeper, F. Forsdick, is an unusually 

 intelligent observer, I asked Mr. Lowe for definite particulars, 

 and he has forwarded me the following letter, signed by 

 Forsdick : — 



"The Cuckoo's egg I found was perfectly" [? almost] 

 " fresh, and had been sat on a few days only. There were 

 three Hedge-Sparrow's eggs and the Cuckoo's in the nest, 



