THE ZooLocist—APRIL, 1876. 4879 
mandible of a rook (Zool. 7429); the upper mandible of a redshank (S. 8. 
3999). In these instances the upper mandible is elongated, but in neither do 
I perceive any evidence of the lower being worn away. In the instance of 
the rook (Zool. 7429) the lower mandible is extremely short and perfect, the 
upper longer and thicker than usual. I believe we must not rest contented 
with the worn-away solution ; certainly the fact of the mandible not meeting 
must conduce to this effect, but that probably arises from some anterior 
cause. I shall be very pleased to receive more communications on this 
subject— Edward Newman.] 
Starlings feeding with Open Beak.—I have observed a pet starling my 
brother had, after pecking with open beak, throwing the loose sawdust from 
side to side in the bottom of his cage; at other times he would thrust his 
beak into any crevice and try to widen it by opening the beak. My belief 
is that the starling opens its beak and uses it as a rake when feeding on 
soft open ground, but when feeding on hard ground it thrusts in the beak 
and uses it as a lever by opening it with force, which I know it can do, as 
T have seen my brother’s bird force his beak under a loaf of bread, and by 
opening the beak turn the loaf off the table—Thomas Darragh; Belfast 
Museum. 
Jackdaws with Pied Heads.—I have observed a jackdaw, on the chimneys 
and on our wall, with the throat, breast and belly all splashed with 
white.—Id. 
Large Flock of Magpies near Banbury.—On the 16th of November, 1875, 
I counted no less than thirty-four magpies in one flock feeding in stubble: 
six or eight are of common occurrence.—C. Matthew Prior. 
Woodpegkers.—If woodpeckers really are so excessively rare in the Isle 
of Wight, which I am inclined to doubt, it can hardly be from any dread of 
salt water. The greater spotted woodpecker is an annual migrant to the 
east coast, and towards the end of the year large numbers have sometimes 
occurred not only in Norfolk but in Scotland, and even in the Shetlands. 
They must needs have crossed the North Sea, and possibly now and then a 
whitebacked woodpecker may come with them, as in the case of my specimen 
which was shot by Dr. Saxby.—J. H. Gurney, jun. 
Wall Creeper in Lancashire: Erratum.—In the March number of the 
‘Zoologist’ (S. 8. 4839), for hind claw, thirteen-sixteenths of an inch 
read hind claw, one inch and thirteen-sixteenths.—-/. S. Mitchell. 
Swallow and Swifts (Hirundo pelasgia of Wilson, Cypselus of Illiger, 
Cypselus pelasgius of Temminck).—In my Canada notes (Zool. 6708) 
I remark that in appearance, manner, and rapidity of flight the chimney 
swallow greatly resembles the common European swift, though much 
smaller, but I omitted to state that, like the swift, it has but ten tail- 
feathers; and the Hirundo caudacuta of Australia, to which it is closely 
allied, has also ten; and both have the rounded spinous tail, and in length 
