Birds. 7439 



suflBcient proof of llie utility of ni)- remarks. — Alfred Roher Is ; King Street, Scar- 

 borough, March 11, 1861 . 



[I must request that any future observations on this subject be confined to 

 simple facts : as a matter of justice, not taste, I admit this note by Mr. Roberts : it 

 does not tend to serve the cause of Natural History : I must also say that I do not 

 consider Mr. Wilmot's expression " misstatement" at all called for by the circum- 

 stances of the case. — Edward NfivinaitJ\ 



Oil-gland in Birds. — Some months ago I observed several notes in the ' Zoologist' 

 respecting the use of the oil-gland in birds, but at the time was too much occupied to 

 be able to write on the subject. However, the following circumstance, which came 

 under my own observation, previous to the discussion in question, will perhaps be 

 worth publishing, as it may tend to clear up a doubt which would seem to exist in the 

 minds of some ornithologists. I was standing at my window, in a farm-house where 

 I then lodged, watching some barn-door fowls that were perched on a low wall imme- 

 diately in front, and at a distance of not more than two yards from me. It had been 

 raining during the early part of the morning ; but as the sun had just beijun to shine 

 they were busy dressing their feathers. During this operation I distinctly saw one of 

 them, which stood with its back towards me, raise the feathers over the oil-gland, and, 

 having taken the point, from which the oil escapes, in his beak sideways, so as not to 

 interfere with the extremity of it, press a considerable quantity to the surface ; and 

 then, having rubbed the feathers of the throat immediately below the beak on the 

 gland, so as to insure their wiping the oil ofi", proceed to rub his thus anointed throat 

 on his back and other parts of his plumage, at the same time constantly passing the 

 feathers through his beak. This operation he repeated many limes, and had I ever 

 entertained any doubt as to the use of the gland it must have been entirely removed 

 by what I theu witnessed. — //. S. jR. Matthews ,• Westbourne, Emstuorth, Sussex. 



Collected Observations on the Nests and Eggs of British Birds. 

 By Edward Newman. 



(Continued from p. 7400.) 



Redstart, Sylria phoenicurus. 



Situation. Holes in walls, rocks, trees, barns, stables, &c. " One 

 day having occasion for a flower-pot, not of a very large size, I took 

 one which had been left inverted in a narrow path between two sea- 

 kale beds. On lifting it up I discovered a redstart's nest with five 

 eggs placed on the ground. I carefully replaced the pot over the nest, 

 inclining it a little towards the south, so that when the sun was shining 

 I could just discern the eggs through the hole at the bottom (now, from 

 its inverted position, the to^j) of the pot. On passing it soon after, I 

 found the hen bird was on the nest; and she succeeded in hatching and 

 bringing up her brood ; paying no regard to my looking down upon 

 her as I passed by, if I did not stop."' — Rev. John Atkinson (Zool. 355). 



