VOL. XI.] NOTES. 93 
Brit. Birds, V., pp. 136, 190). The same thing has been 
reported in the case of the Long-tailed Tit (¢.c., I., pp. 32, 62). 
There are also a number of observations of birds of one species 
feeding the young of another species : instances recorded in 
this magazine will be found in Vol. I., p. 93, Vol. VII., p. 234, 
and Vol. X., p. 119.—Epbs.] 
LARGE CLUTCH OF EGGS OF LITTLE OWL. 
I was recently shown a clutch of seven eggs of the Little Ow! 
(Athene n. noctua) found near Bedford. This bird not only is 
greatly on the increase in this neighbourhood, but seems to 
be becoming much more prolific. A few years ago three eggs 
formed a normal clutch, sometimes four and very rarely five. 
Now four seems the usual number. The seven eggs in this 
nest were exactly similar and were probably the produce 
of one hen. GEORGE T. ATCHISON. 
[Although Newton, Saunders, Seebohm and Dresser agree 
in giving five or six as the maximum number of eggs laid by 
the Little Owl, it is an undoubted fact that clutches of seven 
are occasionally met with in England, as stated by me in the 
British Bird Book, Vol. I., p. 391. Most of the previous 
records have been from Northamptonshire, where Mr. C. E. 
Wright took at least five clutches of seven eggs up to the year 
1905. Mr. G. H. Lewin has also recorded a nest with this 
number from the same country. There is also strong evidence 
that a brood of nine young was hatched out in Holbrook 
Park, Derbyshire, in 1912. I have also in my possession a 
clutch of seven eggs of the southern race of this species (A. 
noctua glaux) taken by Lieut.-Colonel Sparrow in Egypt in 
1909.—F. C. R. JouRDAIN. | 
ROSEATE TERN IN DORSET. 
Mr. A. W. CHAMPERNOWNE lately informed me that on 
June 22nd, 1901, when he was visiting a colony of Common 
Terns (Sterna hirundo) in Dorset, he identified an example 
of the Roseate Tern (S. d. dougallit) among the other Terns. 
Bearing this in mind, I visited the colony, which is a very 
large one, on June 8th and 26th and July 12th, 1917, in order 
to find out whether any Roseates were present. During 
my first visit I occasionally got my glass on to some birds 
with, apparently, black bills, but I could prove nothing 
satisfactorily. Mr. Champernowne was with me on June 26th, 
and we both were puzzled by certain doubtful-looking 
birds, and once we thought we heard the harsh note of the 
Roseate, but again nothing definite was proved, though our 
suspicions were aroused, that one or two Roseates were about. 
