NOTES AND QUERIES. 259 
Sparrow feeding on Ants. — I do not know whether Ants have been 
noted as being eaten by Sparrows at home. Here, where Red Ants swarm 
in countless numbers, it is of common occurrence to see Passer domesticus 
in his eastern dress devouring numbers of them.—E. F. Becuer, Capt. R.A. 
(Karachi, Sind). 
Hoopoe in Northamptonshire.—I regret to say that a Hoopoe, Upupa 
epops, has fallen a victim in our county. Mr, J. G. Field, of Kettering, 
informs me that, about 6th May ult., the unfortunate bird in question was 
found alive, with a broken wing and damage to tail-feathers, between Ged- 
dington and Brigstock, and is now in his possession. This is about the 
fifth instance of the massacre of this most ornamental and interesting 
species in Northamptonshire that has come to our knowledge. — Litrorp 
(June 3rd, 1885). 
Albino Rooks. — Three young cream-coloured Rooks, with light pink 
eyes and fully fledged, were found in one nest at Skellingthorpe during the 
first week of June by some boys, who stated that the hen bird was spotted 
with white, but the cock was of the usual colour. I think the occurrence 
of three albinos in one nest is very unusual. — J. F. Musuam (Blenheim 
House, South Park, Lincoln). 
Occurrence of Buffon’s Skua in June. — On June 4th last I had the 
pleasure of receiving from my friend, Dr. Macdougall, an adult male of 
Buffon’s Skua, which had been shot the previous day upon the Eden, a few 
miles below Carlisle. It proved to be in rather poor condition, and had been 
feeding on earthworms. In coloration the legs and feet agreed exactly with 
the description of a bird recorded by the late Mr. Rodd as killed off the 
Lizard about the same date (Zool. 1877, p. 300), the irides being dark 
brown, interior of mouth pale flesh-colour. The central rectrices exceeded 
the next pair in length by 74 inches.—H. A. Macpuerson (Carlisle). 
Variety of Common Snipe. — Last cold weather an unusual variety 
of the Common Snipe was shot near Hydrabad. It was described to me as 
the colour of a Quail, but, unfortunately, it was sent to Karachi with others 
and was eaten.—H. F. Becusr, Capt. R.A. (Karachi, Sind). 
Canada Geese and Merlin in Leicestershire—On May 9th last we 
saw a Merlin, Falco @salon, a rare bird in this county, on the wolds a few 
miles N.E. of this town. As it rose from the moorland within a few feet of 
us, we were well able to identify it. On the 1]th we were fortunate enough 
to obtain the eggs of the Canada Goose, Anser canadensis, from an island 
in the middle of a large fishpond on the Garendon Estate. The nest was 
raised from the ground on the edge of the water, the foundation being of 
reeds and the lining of down, the diameter of the inside measuring over a 
foot. The eggs, which are white and seven in number, measure 3} inches 
in length, and 2¥; inches in breadth, with slight variations. The bird 
