The Zoologist — November, 1869. 1919 



about two feet long, moved slowly, as if in weakness. There had just been a shower, 

 and perhaps ihis reuderid its proijress over the gruvul and grass incDuvenient: it went 

 into a hush from the grass, and moved along the branches, and then curled itself up 

 for a while near the bottom of the stem. A robin came and perched very close to it, 

 and seemed quite lo disregard us, who had our heads in the bush. More rain coming 

 on, we left the spot, and on our return the snake had disappeared. Both robin and 

 sparrows seemed to be under a fasciuaiioii, and far more pleased than alarmed at its 

 presence." — Edward J. Moor ; Great Beaiings Rectory, Woodbridge, Suffolk, 

 September 16, 1862. 



Jackdaws and Cows. — April 23, 1869. Early this morning I observed from nay 

 window some eight jackdaws busily employed on the backs of two white cows, tearing 

 from them as much of their hair as they could conveniently take in their beaks, and 

 fljing off with it to their nests, which were placed in diflferent parts of the building. — 

 E, C. Moor ; Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester. 



Hoopoe near Brighton. — A young bird, evidently by its plumage bred here, was 

 shot on the 15th of September, at Preston. This, taken with birds bred in Surrey, 

 may help to establish its claim to be reckoned a British s])ecies. — T. W. Won/or. 



Swifts on the lot/i of September at S/ieerness. — I noticed a swilt here yesterday. 

 Surely this is very late? The late gales have driven a number of terns into the Med- 

 way: on Sunday last I saw a flock of thirty or forty, busily engaged fishing, within a 

 very short distance of our sea-wall. As far as I could judge they were all the 

 same species, viz. Sterna arctica. — Gervase F. Malhew ; R. N. Barracks, Sheerness, 

 September 16, 1869. 



Nightjar in October.— On the 4th of October a nightjar was shot and brought lo 

 me: it is a young bird, and on skinning it I found an old wound on the back. May 

 that have caused its remaining here so late? — Stephen Clogg ; East Looe, Cornwall, 

 October 11, 1869. 



Woodpecker laying twenty-two Eggs.—ilsi\\ng noticed a green woodpecker busily 

 engaged for some days boring a hole into a large ash, on the 19lh of May, I enlar<'ed 

 the hole sufficiently to admit ray hand, and found four eggs. From my last year's 

 experience (Zool. S. S. 1515) I determined to watch the nest and ascertain the exact 

 number of eggs the bird would lay. Passing the tree some days later I again took 

 eggs, and continued paying visits about each alternate day, and generally taking an 

 egg until the ]9lh of June. During the month (from the 19th of May to the 19th of 

 June) I look twenty-two eggs from this nest. — G. W. P. Moor ; September, 1869. 



Partridge silting in September. — September 1, 1869. While out shooting I was 

 shown by a gamekeeper a common partridge sitting on ten eggs: she had been sittino- 

 about ten days: this I think is unusually late. A few days afterwards another partridge 

 was found to have an egg in its ovary of usual size, but without shell. — E. C. Moor. 



Number of Eggs laid by Domestic Hens. — Nine hens kept by a friend of mine 

 laid, during last season, one thousand and forty-six eggs, making an average of one 

 hundred and sixteen eggs for each hen : so that in this instance the fecundity of a 

 species has been increased tenfold by domestication. — Henry Hadfield. 



Double Hen's Egg. — On the 20ih of August I was shown by a friend a double 

 hen's egg, consisting of an outer shell of unusual size, with the natural albumen, in 

 which floated another egg of ordinary appearance. The hen died from the efi'ects. — 

 E. C. Moor. 



