56 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
off the acorns, six or seven Rooks being often on the trees at a time, and 
occasionally quite a flock. On alighting on a branch a Rook seizes an 
acorn in its bill, and, if it is fast on and green, gives it a twist, and flapping 
its wings wrenches it off and flies away with it. J am of opinion that they 
eat the acorns, and do not carry them off to extract a worm, as Mr. Harting 
suggests, since I-never found a maggot or worm in any of the acorns, though 
I have examined them with a knife over and over again. However, not 
having seen a Kook actually swallow an acorn, and not having shot any for 
the purpose of examination, Iam unable to give direct and positive evidence 
as to the object of their attacks. I was always under the impression that 
the Rooks conveyed them away to some open field or exposed bank, as they 
do young potatoes, there to enjoy a meal without fear of being molested or 
disturbed, having at the same time something firm against which to peck 
the acorn or potato, as the case might be. Rooks, as a rule, do not swallow 
even small potatoes whole, but peck them in pieces. I was ignorant of the 
fact that the acorn has not been generally mentioned as the food of the 
Rook until Mr. Harting drew attention to it in ‘The Zoologist.’ There are 
several walnut trees not far from the oaks, but I never saw the Rooks on 
them, nor did they ever alight on the ground to pick up an acorn, but 
perhaps that may be accounted for by the trees being so near a dwelling 
house.—RicuarD M. Barrinaton (Fassaroe, Bray, Co. Wicklow). 
SporreD RepsHank 1N Hampsuire.—'Three years ago I heard that 
a specimen of this rare bird was killed in the meadows over here, but as I 
neither saw it myself nor learnt the name of the person who shot it, I con- 
sidered the report doubtful. I am now able, however, to record a well- 
authenticated instance of its occurrence, a specimen having been shot on 
the 4th of September by a friend of mine. It was very much mutilated, 
but he gave it to me, and I spared no pains to make it a tolerable specimen. 
Messrs. Marshall and Stansell, of Taunton, came to see me the day it was 
killed, and they saw the bird in the flesh. Its weight was five ounces and 
a quarter, and the stomach contained two worm-like creatures, such as I 
believe I have seen upon the sea-shore—hence the bird could uot have 
got them in this neighbourhood. The most noticeable characteristic about 
the appearance of this specimen is the white triangular markings on the 
outer web of many of the dark feathers on the wing-coverts and tail, which 
give them a scalloped looking outline; beside this the tail-feathers are 
barred very prettily with pale gray. The back is white, as well as the 
throat and cheeks—in fact, this colour extends to the top of the head, but is 
intersected by a conspicuous dusky streak which runs from the base of the 
upper mandible to the eye; crown of the head, back and sides of the neck, 
more or less gray; breast and belly white, dappled with shades of pale 
brown and gray. The bill is nearly two inches and a half long, and slender, 
of a dusky colour, except the base of the lower mandible, which is red. 
