NOTES AND QUERIES. 295 
persons killed as compared with the preceding year. Of wild beasts, tigers, 
of course, were the most destructive, their victims numbering 110, against 
98 in 1884, while the number of tigers killed was only 221, against 260. 
The deaths from snake-bite last year amounted to 1066, against 797 in 
1884, while only 1997 snakes were killed, as compared with 2378. In an 
official note on the subject it is observed that there has been a “satisfactory 
increase” in the number of wild animals destroyed; but this increase is 
due to the larger number of bears, wolves, and hyenas killed. 
BIRDS. 
Pheasant, Partridge, and Wild Duck laying in the same Nest.— 
A few weeks ago a nest was found near here containing eggs of the 
Pheasant, Partridge, and Wild Duck. ‘The fact of birds of such very 
different nature laying in the same nest seems worth mentioning. The 
eggs were eventually forsaken by all three species—HE. W. H. Biage 
(Cheadle, Staffordshire). 
How the Spotted Flycatcher subsists in hard weather. — The 
severe weather during the second week of May caused considerable 
mortality among Swallows hereabouts. The observations on the subject 
(pp. 248, 249) are partially applicable to what occurred in this locality. 
But the Spotted Flycatcher, which is fairly plentiful here, did not come off 
quite so badly. I do not think its numbers have been lessened; but it 
was evidently hard pressed. On May 13th, after nearly forty-eight hours 
of incessant rain and cold wind, I observed one of these birds—so often 
associated with romantic situations—perched on the rim of a paraffin 
barrel. Its wings were drooping, and it seemed to be in a pitiable condition. 
It stuck to its post all the afternoon. Looking to it frequently, I found 
that it descended to the ground several times, and occasionally picked up 
something. Once I saw it pounce on an earthworm, which it devoured. If 
the fact of this bird feeding on a common earthworm is worth recording, 
will you kindly insert this note ?—J. E. Parmer (Lyons Mills, Straffan, 
Co. Kildare). 
[This little bird, so far as our observation goes, feeds almost entirely on 
winged insects and spiders. It must rarely happen that it is driven to take 
worms of any kind.—Ep.] 
Curious Nesting-place of a Pied Wagtail.—On asking a man who 
was with sheep on turnips if he had seen any nests, he replied that he had 
found a nest there the previous day on the ground, and that the bird had 
laid one egg in it that morning. I went with him to look at it, and was 
much surprised to find that it was the nest of a Pied Wagtail. There was 
a scratching in the ground, and in this the nest was placed close to the 
bulb of a turnip. The birds were running about close by, and there was 
