46 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
filled by a very hard fungus, which I did not take the trouble to 
identify. Embedded in this fungus were three Green Wood- 
pecker’s eggs, which I had great difficulty in carving out with a 
chisel. On the top of the fungus were four more eggs mottled 
and spotted regularly all over with rich brown stains, but 
beautifully polished, as if the colour was natural. They much 
resemble the eggs of the Common Sandpiper in colour and 
markings. On another occasion’I found in an old nest of Picus 
major a clutch of Blue Tits’ eggs stained almost black, but this 
stain was possibly caused by sap from the oak tree. 
The fungus which I have found most commonly blocking up 
Woodpeckers’ nesting holes is Polyporus squamosus ; and I have 
seen a tall straight Lombardy poplar, dead and white, minus bark 
and boughs, and minus the top, which had been snapped off at a 
weak point, where was a Woodpeckers’ nest, so picturesquely 
ornamented by the huge pilei of Polyporus squamosus, and so 
interestingly full of Woodpeckers’ holes, Starlings’ nests, and 
Great Bats, that the owner allowed it to stand until felled by the 
wind, 
ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES FROM DEVON AND CORNWALL. 
By Joun Gatcomre. 
A Storm Petrel was picked up dead on the rocks at the 
Devil's Point, Stonehouse, on the 7th of September last. It 
was rather emaciated, and had sustained some injury at the 
carpal joint of one wing, the bone appearing diseased, the skin 
scurfy, and easily peeled off. On the same date a large number 
of Sandpipers of different kinds passed over the town at night, 
making a great noise On the 15th I visited Saleombe by 
steamer, and observed large parties of Cormorants on every head- 
land, besides numbers in the water; indeed, I never knew them 
so numerous, and my friend Mr. Clogg writes from Cornwall to 
the same effect, saying that he sometimes saw as many as thirty 
or forty standing together on the rocks at the eastern point of 
Looe Island. Gannets, both old and young, were also very 
plentiful, most of them resting on the water, which was unusually 
calm; but they invariably rose and flew off on the approach of the 
