Birds. 7757 



Cliff Swallow of Canada. — The republican or cliflf swallow, which is but a recent 

 addition to the fauna of this part of the continent, in its original character, builds its 

 nest in caves, and under the overhanging ledges of perpendicular rocks ; when lured 

 to this dislricl, probably by the abundance of their favourite insect food, which is found 

 along our marshy lauds, and not fii.ding rocks suitable for their purpose in the 

 breeding season, they frequently choose, as a substitute, the end of a barn or other 

 outhouse. I have seen such a republic in the country, where the upper part of the 

 end of a barn was literally covered with clay, and perforated with numerous circular 

 holes, out of which the full dark eyes and gaping bills of the callow inmates were fre- 

 quently seen protruding ; there must have been from two to three tons of clay used in 

 the work, and the constant visits of the parent birds at this interesting season gave the 

 building at a short distance much the appearance of a great bee-hive. — Thomas 

 M'llwraith, in ' Canadian Naturalist.' 



Cuckooes Egg in a Reed Warbler's Nest. — As I can find no mention in either 

 Yarrell or Cuvier of cuckoos depositing their eggs in the nests of reed wai-blers, I 

 imagine it may be of rare occurrence. While on the Thames, about a mile above 

 Streelley, with a friend, on the evening of July I'ith, we noticed a reed warbler fly 

 into some reeds. Thinking there might be a nest there, we marked it down and rode 

 in. We found tlie nest close to where the bird settled, about a yard from the bank, 

 but to our surprise saw a large brown bird on it. It remained while we cut the 

 nest out, and pecked tremendously at our fingers when we got it into the boat. 

 I soon saw it was a young cuckoo, and I should think was about a week or ten days 

 old. There were a few feathers wanting on its breast, but it seemed that if it had 

 remained two or three days longer it would have outgrown the nest, which was built 

 on four reeds, and was unusually dirty and untidy for a reed warbler. I sent the bird 

 to be stufied, so all doubt as to its being a young cuckoo is done away with. On 

 mentioning the circumstance to another friend he told me that he also had found a 

 cuckoo's egg in a reed warbler's nest, near Colchester, in Essex, about four years ago. 

 This fact goes a loug way to prove that cuckoos, after depositing their eggs on the 

 ground, take them up in their beaks, and thus place them in the nests of other birds, 

 as it is obviously all but impossible for a cuckoo to remain on a reed warbler's nest 

 while laying its egg in it. — R. Ramsden ; Brighton College, August 19, 1861. 



Hatching Young Ostriches. — Since the French occupation of Algeria ostriches 

 have been conveyed thence to France in great numbers, and attempts have been 

 frequently made to breed them in the Ziological Gardens of Marseilles, but as 

 frequently failed. Even last year, notwithstanding the care devoted to the ostriches 

 in that establishment, and though eggs were laid in plenty, no young ostriches could 

 be hatched. The director, M. Suquet, however, was not to be foiled. Failing to accom- 

 plish what be desired in the gardens, he bethought himself of trying what could be 

 done out of tbeui. In the territory of Muiilredou he selected a sandy plain, situated 

 between the sea and the mountains, which form the south-east of the Gulf of Mar- 

 seilles. The spot belongs to M. Pastre, who kindly gave the necessary co-opera- 

 tion. There a large secluded valley was fixed upon, sufficiently wooded to aSbrd 

 shelter, without intercei)ling the sunshine necessary for quickening the eggs. After 

 having enclosed a space 600 metres long by 500 wide, the birds were conveyed to 

 their hatching-ground on March 2, of this year. For a few days the birds seemed to 

 regard their new quarters with suspicion, and ran anxiously about. Soon, however, 

 lliey settled themselves aud began laying. Their uest was at first a simple excavation 



