The Zoologist — December, 1868. 1479 



On the Departure of the Swallow from Devonshire in 1868. — In communicating to 

 the ' Zoologist' a list of the departures of summer birds from Cornwall and Devonshire, 

 during the months of August and September, I mentioned the 21st of September as 

 the latest day in that month on which I observed the chimney swallow. I however 

 again observed a swallow on the 2nd of October, and found that they remained in this 

 neighbourhood, but chiefly near the coast, in varying numbers, till the 26th of October, 

 since which day I have not seen any of them. Most of the specimens observed in 

 October appeared to be birds of the present year.—/. H. Gurney ; Marldon, Totnes, 

 November 11, 1868. 



Hoopoe at Ely. — A young male hoopoe was shot near here a short time since: it 

 frequented one particular field, probably in search of the larvae of a beeile which 

 abounds in it: it was exceedingly shy, and flew with a rather powerful undulating 

 fli-ht when disturbed.— John Tilterlon ; Ely, November's, 1868. 



Yuuny Emeus at Clumber.— On a receut visit to the aviaries erected by the Duke 

 of Newcastle, in the beautiful grounds at Clumber, I was much interested in the young 

 emeus that have been reared during the present season. The chief food of the adult 

 birds is grass. Those at Clumber graze with the cows and horses in an open field, 

 and are fond of cabbage, lettuce or any garden refuse. During the laying season they 

 are also supplied with a proportion of meal mixed thin with water, or soaked ship- 

 biscuits. For their size and weight they are unquestionably small eaters. They are 

 readily kept within bounds by ordinary fences, never attempting to force through a 

 hedge or pass over a gate. They are also very prolific, the hen laying nearly thirty 

 eggs every season. It is true that these are more than the male bird can cover; but 

 there appears to be no valid reason why a portion of the eggs should not be hatched 

 under turkeys without the slightest difficulty. When to these recommendations we 

 add their strangely picturesque appearance as seen walking at a short distance, I can 

 conceive no more useful or attractive addition to the Fauna of an inclosed park. The 

 pair of birds at Clumber are now four years old ; the female laid for the first time 

 early in the year 1867. During the present year, of which only 1 have any accurate 

 record, she commenced to lay on the 5th of January, and laid every second or third 

 day until she had deposited twenty-seven eggs, which were placed on the floor of a 

 shed, which opens into the small inclosure in which the birds were confined at that 

 time. After seven eggs had been deposited the male proceeded to sit upon them, and 

 sat steadily for eight days, when the female disturbed him, and he left the nest for 

 eight days — the eggs being exposed during the whole of this lime to the severe 

 weather of last February. At the end of this period the cock resumed his task of 

 incubation, and sat for sixty-two days after the commencement of the second 

 incubation. At this time Mr. Douglas thought that the health of the bird would 

 suffer from the long-continued confinement and abstinence fiom food, as he refused to 

 eat anything whilst on the nest, although food and water were placed within his reach 

 and he only came off the eggs three times during the long period of incubation. As 

 the date at which the eggs should have hatched, counting from the first com- 

 mencement of incubation, had passed, it was feared they were not fertile; but on 

 placing them in warm water their active motion soon testified to the existence of living 

 emeus within : they were consequently returned to the nest and hatched in due course. 

 Of the seven eggs one was rotten, two young emeu chicks died in the shell, and four 

 were hatched, one of which was accidentally killed by the male. Of the remaining 



