S692 The Zoologist— September, 1873. 



indicates, as I venture to suppose, Columba palumbus ; and if this suppo- 

 sition be correct, it is an unlooked-for occurrence. — E. Newman.] 



Redleggcd Partridge plentiful in East Kent. — On the 1st inst. T was 

 visiting at Smeeth, near Ashford, and in the course of my walks my 

 attention was called to two partridges' nests, in which the young had been 

 hatched this year. I saw at once from the egg-shells that both were the 

 nests of the redlegged partridge {Perdix rufa). These two nests were 

 within a hundred yards of each other. A third nest, very near the same 

 spot, was mentioned to me, but I had not time to go and examine it. It 

 appears that this species of partridge is on the increase in Kent, and, being 

 difficult to shoot, will soon abound to the exclusion of the more valued 

 common English partridge. — James Murton ; Silverdale, Carnforth, August 

 11, 1873. 



Waterlicns Nesting in Trees. — In June last I found a waterhen's nest in 

 a large yew tree by the side of a brook, at about nine feet from the ground. 

 It contained eight or nine eggs, which were in due time hatched ; and later 

 on I saw the young birds in the brook. That they were the birds -which 

 were hatched in the yew I have no doubt, as there was no other nest any- 

 where near. — T. E. Tatton ; Cheshire, August, 1873. 



Bustard in Suffolk. — During the past few days a strange bird has been 

 seen on the Wangford and Lakenheath warrens. The two gentlemen who 

 saw it describe it as being nearly as large as a turkey, and of a rusty colour ; 

 in fact more like a turkey than anything else. When it flew it was a long 

 time before it could rise from the ground. They could not get nearer than 

 sixty or seventy yards to it. I have been over myself, but could not see 

 the bird, the warrens being so very extensive. The labouring men in the 

 district to whom I spoke confirmed the account previously received. — 

 William Howlett, in 'Field ' of Aiujust 16. 



Ostrich-Farming at the Cape. — We saw the incubator, and in it forty- 

 five eggs in the process of hatching. This operation is now performed 

 to almost perfection, quite equal to anything the parent birds can do them- 

 selves, even supposing they are unmolested and escape all kinds of accidents 

 to which they are exposed. Out of the forty-five eggs we saw, we may 

 safely conclude forty-two v^ould produce live and healthy chicks. The 

 results now, of several batches, are fourteen out of fifteen to be hatched ; 

 and Mr. Douglass seems pretty sanguine that he shall presently hatch all 

 the eggs placed in the incubator, provided they are fertile. The number of 

 ostriches at Hilton is as follows : Breeding birds — males, 2 ; hens, 4 ; 

 pullet, 1 — total, 7. Full-grown and nearly full-grown birds, 14 ; one- and 

 two-year-old birds, 59 ; this year's chickens, 75 — total, 155. And though 

 we have eveiy respect for the old proverb, yet, with the experience afore- 

 said, we have every confidence in adding twelve more for the eggs now in 

 the machine, besides which some of the hens are laying every day. They 



