4924 THE ZooLocist— May, 1876. 
little doubt that these birds had crossed the German Ocean. Small wonder 
if such mites—tired by their long journey, and alighting on the first land 
they come to—become an easy prey to enemies of every kind.—J. H. 
Gurney, jun.; Darlington, March 26, 1876. 
Reproduction in a Bird’s Beak.—Mr. Rogers, of Plymouth, has now a 
pair of beautiful Cornish choughs, which he tells me have been in confine- 
ment for sixteen or seventeen years. A long time ago the upper mandible 
of the bill of one of these birds was torn or broken almost completely off, 
near the base, by being jambed between the door, or hitched in the wires, 
of itscage. However, as it was hanging by a slender process, Mr. Rogers 
carefully bound or spliced it together with waxed thread, in the hope that it 
might in time unite; but the moment the operation was completed up 
jumped the bird on its perch, and, giving its head a tremendous shake, off 
came the mandible, at once falling to the bottom of the cage. After this 
Mr. Rogers says, the poor thing was very ‘“‘queer” for a few days, and of 
course could not eat, Therefore, as something was obliged to be done to 
prevent the poor creature from starving, he placed hemp-seed in the hollow 
of his hand, keeping his fingers a little spread, so that the bird, by thrusting 
its long lower mandible between them, and thus bringing the stump of the 
upper one on a level with the palm, should be enabled to pick up the seeds. 
This manceuvre seemed to be at once understood by the knowing, hungry bird, 
and the plan answered admirably : ultimately, however, Mr. Rogers adopted 
another, by letting the hemp-seed float on the surface of water, in a deep pan, 
or cup, with equal success. After this, the bill began to grow tolerably 
long, though rather rough, slender, and a little crosswise, so that, in trying 
to pick up anything from the ground or floor of its cage, the bird was obliged 
to hold its head on one side, and, strange to say, the tip of the uninjured 
lower mandible grew long and sharp, so as to necessitate its being often cut. 
After a while the somewhat slender and ill-formed upper bill broke or fell 
off again, but since then has been reproduced, and is now, and has been for 
many years, as perfect as ever it was before the first accident happened, 
with the exception of its being slightly awry at the tip.—J. Gatcombe. 
Errata.—In my note on the Cornish chough (8. 8. 4828) for “has been 
increasing within the last ten years,” read “ gradually increasing within the 
last few years.” —J. G. 
Temerity of the Robin.—A friend writes to me as follows :—* A pair of 
robins have built their nest in the wall of a large school near Banbury, 
containing nearly 200 boys. The female has laid three eggs. March 
29th.”"—C. Matthew Prior. 
Manner of Feeding of the Starling —Captain Hadfield says, “If it 
were the starling’s habit to force its bill down to the ‘base,’ after the 
manner of the rook, we should find the feathers worn, but they are not.” 
Does this imply that because the rooks dig the feathers are worn off? 
7?) eae » 
