180 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
such assistance it is hoped to make the Report more complete, and all 
co-operation will be duly acknowledged therein. — Wm. Eacir CLARKE 
(18, Claremont Road, Headingley, Leeds). 
Birds used for Sport in China.—In the December number of ‘ The 
Zoologist,’ at p. 447, there is an interesting article entitled, ‘‘ Birds used 
for Sport in China,” wherein it is stated that Snipe, as well as Quail, are 
flown at with the Sparrowhawk. M. Pichot remarks that “ possibly the 
Snipe of that country is slower and heavier on the wing than ours.” 
Perhaps the Snipe in question may be the Painted Snipe (Rhynchea 
bengalensis), not an uncommon species in Southern India and China. They 
lie close, their flight is comparatively heavy and not sustained, and this 
bird would be readily captured by the Sparrowhawk. — Henry Haprretp 
(Ventnor, Isle of Wight). 
Changes of Plumage in the Kestrel.—Mr. Cecil Smith’s remarks on 
the change of plumage in the male Kestrel (p. 110) induce me to send a 
short notice of a fact observed by me bearing on the question. Some years 
ago, when I was staying at a friend’s house, it was found that a hawk had 
been making free with some of the tame-bred Pheasants. The game- 
keepers discovered the nest within twenty yards of the coops, which had 
been left undisturbed till the young hawks were half-grown, and lay up to 
shoot the plunderers. About 7.30 next morning I heard a shot fired, and 
on going down found the keeper with a full-plumaged male bird. A couple 
of hours afterwards he shot and brought up another bird, which he took for 
the female (it was killed on the edge of the nest), but on examination I saw 
at once that it was a young male, in immature (female) plumage, with the 
exception of a few blue feathers on the upper tail-coverts. We see, then, 
that a bird at least a year old had only begun to assume adult plumage ; 
that he was then, I suppose, unmated; that though not eligible as a 
husband, the hen adopted him as a foster-father; that two hours were 
sufficient for her to find a mate in a country where all vermin had been 
systematically killed down for years. Again; when do Cuckoos assume 
adult plumage? I once saw a Cuckoo in Leadenhall Market in May in 
nestling plumage, except one or two grey feathers in the head.— H. T. 
Frere (Burston Rectory, Diss). 
Habits of the Arctic Skua as observed in Caithness.—As the Acrtic 
Skua (Lestris parasiticus) seems to be rare in England, and its habits not 
much known there, I will give a short account of the bird, as observed here 
every season during the breeding-time. It is very well known in Orkney 
and Shetland, and breeds in many of the islands, as also in the Hebrides. 
Sir William Jardine met with it in Sutherlandshire in June, but I have 
not heard of its nest having been actually found in that county. In 
Caithnesshire it is well known, and is a very abundant species, breeding in 
