CORRESPONDENCE 



The Teeth of the Horse. 

 In the article on "The Teeth of the Horse," in the April number of this 

 journal, it was stated, with reference to the preparations at the Natural History 

 Museum, that the skulls were collected and presented by Mr. Goodall. It is, how- 

 ever, only fair to him to add that in most cases the teeth had already been exposed 

 in the skulls, and that the skulls were not simply collected, but were carefully 

 selected from a much larger series in his possession, with a view to showing the 

 salient features of the dentition at each particular stage. There is, unfortunately, no 

 indication in the paper of the amount of labour and thought which Mr. Goodall 

 had already expended on the series ; and, in justice to him, I wish to be allowed to 

 rectify the omission. W. G. Ridewood. 



Change of Habit in Wild Birds. 



When visiting the upper parts of Natal lately I came across what appear to be 

 two instances of recently-acquired change of habits in wild birds. The first is that 

 the common Griffon Vulture, Aasvogel of the Dutch (Gyps kolbii) has, of quite late 

 years, commenced in this district (the watershed between the Upper Movi and 

 Bushman's rivers) to kill living animals, not confining itself to carrion. I am 

 aware that this habit is noted from the Cape Colony ; but it would appear that in 

 the part of Natal I visited the farmers only commenced to suffer during the 

 last six to eight years. These birds breed in the steep cliffs of Mount Erskine, 

 an outlier of the Drakensberg range, in large numbers, and thence scour the 

 country. Authentic cases are given in which farmers have seen the living, healthy 

 sheep attacked and killed, generally when at some little distance from the main 

 body of the flock. They appear, however, generally to attack ewes when with very 

 young lambs ; first killing the mother, and then the lamb or lambs. I am also 

 informed that, in one instance at least, they have attacked a cow, and killed her ; 

 but, although probable, I would like verification for this statement. At all events, 

 it is quite certain that below and near Mount Erskine this habit has been quite 

 recently developed. 



Last year I was in the bush in the valley of the Upper Umkomanzi river. 

 Parrots (Psittaais, sp.) are common in the bush ; but, until then, had not foraged 

 in the gardens and orchards. For the first time since the place had been 

 settled by Europeans — a matter of twenty-five years — they attacked the fruit. 

 Their somewhat timid disposition seemed quite altered, and they flew into the 

 orchards in large numbers. They seemed unable to carry off the fruit, which con- 

 sisted principally of apples, alone, so broke the small branches below the joint, and I 

 saw them flying off with branches in their bills with apples attached. The excite- 

 ment among them seemed intense ; the discovery of such an abundant and new 

 food-supply apparently much agitating the parrot world. No doubt, in both these 

 cases, the change of habit will be permanent, and I thought the fact of the date of 

 change being thus known was worth recording. 

 Durban, Natal, Maurice S. Evans. 



March 29, 1895. 



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