116 BRITISH BIRDS. 



pair does return for two or three years I know for a fact, and 

 if they were not the same Wrynecks which returned to the 

 nest for sixty years it would be interesting to know how 

 their numerous progeny decided amongst themselves which 

 of them was to return to the paternal abode, and how they 

 knew that they would find it empty ? 



M. Bedford. 



[It is unfortunate that there is very little basis of recorded 

 fact to go upon in this matter and, therefore, I fear that this 

 discussion tends to become academic. There are so few 

 instances which give us positive proof of the same two 

 individuals returning to the same nesting site that I hope 

 Her Grace will place on record the details of the case referred to 

 above. Reverting to the Wrynecks, I do not think it is 

 necessary to suppose that the young ones came back to the 

 old nesting site ; the suggestion I made on page 63 seems to 

 be the simplest, viz., that it so happened that both birds of 

 the pair never died in any one winter, and that the survivor 

 got a new mate. The individuals might thus have changed 

 many times during the sixty years. — H. F. W.] 



The ages to which birds live has always been a subject of 

 interest to me, and the following records from my aviaries 

 may be of value : — 



Lapp Owl, 27 years. 



Ural Owl (a pair), 22 years, and still vigorous. 



Pintail Sand-Grouse, 17 years, and still in perfect 

 health, but now lays infertile eggs. 



Wigeon, 20 years. 



Pochard, 22 years (she reared a brood annually for 

 20 years). 

 A wild Turtle-Dove (Turtur communis), which was noticeable 

 by reason of its having a stiff leg, turned up about May 1st 

 every year at the place where we fed our water-fowl for 

 twenty-one years. 



E. G. B. Meade-Waldo. 



Apropos of your notes on the longevity of birds (p. 79) it 

 it may be of interest to state that there is on the Loch of Skail 

 in Orkney a Whooper Swan which was winged, captured and 

 pinioned sixty-three years ago. 



It is well protected on this loch, which is a private one, 

 but it walks about a great deal, often as far as the large tidal 

 loch of Sterness, four miles away. It has met with many 

 accidents in its career, chiefly broken wings, one man in the 

 neighbourhood having set the wing twice in the last six years. 



