158 Letters, Ejctracts, Notices, ^c. 



them, a performance which falconers, unfortunately, have 

 too frequent opportunities of observing ! The Owls carry 

 their prey extended behind in the same way, I am fairly 

 acquainted with most of the European Eagles and Vultures, 

 and all that I have had opportunity to see sufficiently close 

 carry their feet in the backward position, and their prey in 

 the same manner, or, if too heavy, almost extended below 

 them. 



Pigeons carry their feet extended behind ; the position is 

 easily seen by watching white Pigeons flying round, when 

 their pink legs show up plainly against their white feathers, 

 or in watching Wood-Pigeons coming in to roost. 



When launched on the wing, all our game-birds carry 

 their legs out behind. 



The Coots and Rails undoubtedly carry their feet in the 

 backward position. This may be very plainly seen when 

 Coots and Moorhens are passing overhead. 



Although the backward position is the usual one with the 

 Gull tribe, when floating in the air they very frequently 

 tuck up one leg, in the same manner that birds do when 

 standing on one leg on the ground. The leg is evidently 

 resting on the shafts of the flank-feathers, and maintained 

 in that position by the feathers themselves, without any 

 effort on the part of the bird. Frequently first one and then 

 the other leg is tucked up, so that the bird appears to have 

 no legs at all. I have seen a Mallard do the same thing 

 when passing over, although the backward position is, of 

 course, the normal one in the Duck tribe. 



Both the Bustards and Cranes carry their legs behind. — 

 E. G. B. Meade-Waldo. 



Egg of Pityriasis gymnocephala. — Mr. Edward Bartlett, 

 Curator o£ the Sarawak Museum, sends us an account of the 

 egg of the curious Bornean Crow-Shrike, Pityriasis gymno- 

 cephata, which he has published in the ' Sarawak Gazette ' 

 of November, 1895. The egg was taken from the body of a 

 specimen recently shot, and was " ready for exclusion. ^^ 



The egg is about the size of a Thrush's [Tardus musicus), 



