The Zoologist— July, 1807. 829 



cuckoo's egg is blue in a hedgesparrow's nest or in that of a redstart, reddish in a 

 robin's, brownish in a pipit's," &c. The statement is made on the authority of the 

 celebrated ornithologist Dr. Baldamus, of Stuttgart. Now I would ask, is it possible 

 to believe such a statement? Can specimens of cuckoo's eggs be produced from all 

 or most of the thirty odd nests in which she is supposed or known to lay, bearing 

 severally the same markings of the eggs of the nests from which they were taken ? 

 Where a cuckoo lays in a nest which has not at the time received its owner's egg?, 

 what is the colour of the eggs she lays? 



Abundance of the Cuckoo at May field. — I do not recollect so many cuckoos at 

 May field in any former year as I have observed this spring. Not only is the well- 

 known note heard throughout the day on all sides, aud frequently also that rapid 

 piping note somewhat resembling the shake of the nightingale, but I have seen them 

 on the wing much more frequently than 1 recollect seeing them at May field before. 

 Have we been favoured with this abundant supply of cuckoos at the expense of other 

 localities, or has the winter residence of these birds, or the weather during their 

 passage to and from it, been more favourable to their preservation than usual? — H. T. 

 M. Kirby ; May field Vicarage, Sussex, May 11, 1867. 



Purple Gallinale in Hampshire. — Whilst staying at a friend's house in Hampshire 

 last week, I was informed by a gentleman, who has seen the bird, that a purple 

 gallinule had been shot some time since at about two miles from the house, which is 

 on the river Hamble. It was a very good specimen, and was sent to a Cornish bird- 

 stuffer to be set up. — Frederic A. Haivker ; 14, Connaught Place, Hyde Path, 

 London, W. 



Dunlins at Kingsbury Reservoir. — On the 16th of April I saw two dunlins at 

 Kingsbury Reservoir, and succeeded in obtaining them. They were in breeding 

 plumage, and proved on dissection to be both male birds. Although dunlins occur 

 here not uncommonly in the autumn, they are, I believe, rarely seen during the earlier 

 months of the year. — Henry Austin; Isleworth, May 13, 1867. 



Little Bittern near the Lizard. — Mr. Frederick V. Hill, of Helston, writes me word 

 that he has obtained a good specimen of an old female little bittern, which was picked 

 up in an exhausted state on Coverack Beach, near the Lizard. He does not describe 

 the plumage, but if there is any material variation from the plumage generally recog- 

 nized as that of the female I will communicate the same to the 'Zoologist.' — E. H. 

 Rodd. 



Little Bittern near Henley. — A specimen of this occasional visitor has been sent me 

 for preservation, having been captured on Mr. Holmes' pond at Walgrave, Henley -on- 

 Tbames, on the 4th of May. The bird proved on examination to be a female; eggs 

 in process of formation. The bird was observed sleeping on the banks of the pond, and 

 being cautiously approached was killed by a well-directed'ftroke from a punt-pole. — 

 G. B. Ashmead ; Bishopsgate Street. 



Lapwings at Henley-on-Thames . — I saw a large flock of lapwings on the 21st of 

 March, which consisted, I should think, of upwards of two hundred individuals. — 

 C. E. Slubbs. 



The Purple Crested Heron near the Lizard, Cornwall. — I saw a female specimen 

 to-day of this fine heron with Mr. Vingoe, who had just received it from the Rev. 

 Mr. Robinson, the rector of the parish in which the Lizard Point is situated. The 

 ovary contained a large bunch of eggs, varying in size from swan-shot to dust-shot. 



