338 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
hatch it is necessary to isolate the hen, as she fights furiously with her 
mate, and would to all appearance kill the chicks if she were allowed to get 
at them. ‘The whole of the tending of the young is performed by the male 
bird. This is not the case with the Ostrich, as some have reported. 
Hybrids between the Black Grouse and the Pheasant.—In Yarrell’s 
‘ British Birds,’ 4th ed. vol iii. p. 69 seqg., a number of hybrids between the 
cock Pheasant and the Grey Hen are enumerated as having occurred in 
England. Being desirous to give a life-sized and coloured figure of such 
a hybrid in my forthcoming work on the Black Grouse, the Capercailzie, 
and their allies, I wish to borrow a specimen for a short time, and, as my 
endeavours to procure one have so far been unsuccessful, I beg to make 
this known through your widely-read journal, hoping that some fortunate 
possessor may be kind enough to communicate with me concerning his 
willingness to lend me a specimen for the said purpose.—A. B. MryEr 
(Royal Zoological Museum, Dresden, July 5). 
Oaks planted by Crows.—Referring to the extract given, at p. 264, 
from Robinson's ‘ Natural History of Cumberland,’ in which we are told of 
a grove of oaks of a height for Crows to build in, though but of twenty-five 
years’ growth, and, strange to say, planted by these birds. Although the 
manner of planting the acorns is described, no attempt is made to account 
for it. I am therefore induced to refer to what came under my observation 
respecting Rooks when residing on the north-east coast of Scotland in 
1858. lL observed that as soon as the Rooks had secured the object of 
their search (fir-cones), they alighted with them on an open space, and 
commenced striking and tearing them with their bills ; this operation over, 
they returned to the wood fora fresh supply. Seeing a number of fir-cones 
strewn about the ground, they were carefully examined, and in some a 
maggot was found, on which the Rooks were doubtless feeding. It 
occurred to me at the time, and I noted down, that the stunted firs scattered 
over the plain might have sprung from cones trodden under foot by cattle, 
of a wet season, to become in the course of ages nesting-trees for the Rooks, 
and a shelter for cattle. My observations and remarks with regard to the 
planting were mere conjectures. That we are indebted to birds for the 
distribution of various plants, as well as for (to some extent at least) the 
soil in which they grow, is a well-known fact.— Henry HapFIELp (Ventnor, 
Isle of Wight). 
Variation in size of the Water Rail.—The Water Rail, like many 
other birds, has been observed to vary greatly in size, but 1 do not know 
that any very great difference in the size of two bones of this species has 
been remarked upon. ‘The case of two Water Rails has lately come under 
my notice, in which the sterna vary in such a remarkable degree that it 
may be worth recording. ‘The following are the measurements :—Keel of 
