OBSERVATIONS. 



937 



the time of the capture, it is jiroha- 

 ble that the bait was taken when 

 near the surface. — Henry L. Saxby, 

 Baltasound, Shetland, Nov. 9, 1864. 



Food of Ling and Cod. — Several 

 instances in which sea-birds have 

 been swallowed by fish have, at va- 

 rious times, come to my knowledge. 

 The latest occurred during the past 

 summer, when an entire guillemot 

 was taken from the stomach of a 

 ling (Lota 7nolva). In examining 

 the stomachs of some cod very lately 

 I was surprised to find that the 

 shells of crabs with which they were 

 partly filled, were as red as if they 

 had been boiled, and in this respect 

 there was but little [difference be- 

 tween the broken remains and indi- 

 viduals which had been but recently 

 swallowed. Most of the stomachs 

 contained in addition white shells 

 of pectens, and all contained her- 

 rings. — Henry L. Saxby, Balta- 

 sound, Shetland, Nov. 3, 1864. 



Variety of the Golden Plover. — 

 While following a flock of Golden 

 Plovers yesterday, I saw one in 

 which the wings were perfectly white, 

 but unfortunately my endeavours to 

 obtain the specimen were unsuc- 

 cessful. — Henry L. Saxby, Balta- 

 sound, Shetland, Nov.- 2, 1864. 



The CucJcoo. — During a seven 

 years' residence at High Harrogate, 

 (a locality in much favour with 

 cuckoos); I paid great attention to 



this bird. I have found as many 

 as thirty young ones in a season, 

 chiefly in the tit-larks' nests ; and I 

 have made several attempts to rear 

 them, but never could get them 

 through the winter. A friend of 

 mine, who had great experience in 

 the rearing of birds for the aviary, 

 also made several attempts, but 

 without success, and on comparing 

 notes with others who had done the 

 same, I never found that they had 

 succeeded, or knew any one that 

 had. Seeing that with every at- 

 tention, efforts to get them through 

 the winter have failed, I am disposed 

 to doubt the statement sometimes 

 made, that they occasionally remain 

 with us through the winter. — J. 

 Kanson, Linton-upon-Ouse, York. — 

 Communicated by Eev. F. 0. Morris. 

 Curious Nesting Place of a Chaf- 

 finch. — I am informed by some 

 friends that a few years ago a Chaf- 

 finch placed its nest in the heel of 

 an old shoe, which was lying on the 

 ground, but before it began its nest 

 it carefully covered the shoe with 

 moss. — G. Ormerod, Kedenhall Rec- 

 tory. — Communicated by the Rev. 

 F. 0. Morris. 



Field-Days near Scarborough. 

 No. II. 

 Oct. 4th, 1864.— Our second field- 

 day was in the valley of Haybourne 

 Wyke, about six miles north of 

 Scarborough. We entered the glen 



