2.S6 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



during the coming summer and autumn, have the opportunity of seeing a 

 good many of these ducks, and will ascertain the percentage of these 

 varieties. The Tufted Ducks are in full breeding plumage at the end of 

 March, and have a very pleasant note, or number of notes, during the 

 pairing- time. As nearly as I can render them they are " tuc, tuc, tuck ; 

 quit, quit, quitta ; ivheeou, ivliit; quit, quit, quee." — J. Whitaker (Rain- 

 worth, near Mansfield). 



Blackcap in Co. Waterford in January. — I can supplement Mr. 

 Ussher's note in the January number of 'The Zoologist' (p. S7). Since 

 January 19th a male Blackcap frequented a garden in the suburbs of 

 Waterford. He came several times daily to a window-sill of the adjacent 

 house for food in the shape of crumbs and scraps of meat, which were 

 spread there for small birds. With these he kept up a constant warfare, and 

 with such success that they forsook the sill which he generally frequented. 

 This bird was found dead on a gravel-path, close to its usual haunts, on 

 February 13th, though there was no appearance of injury of any kind. — 

 J. N. White (Rocklands, Co. Waterford). 



Wood Pigeons casting up Pellets. — Referring to Mr. Mann's note 

 under this head (p. 193), I would suggest that probably the Wood Pigeon 

 casts up "pellets" only at certain seasons of the year, i.e., when it has 

 been feeding upon certain kinds of food. A few days ago (May 14th) 

 I found several " castings " of this bird, composed chiefly of the husks of 

 oats. Rooks at this season eject a vast number of " pellets," composed of 

 grain shells, and they never cast up pellets, I believe, when their diet does 

 not consist chiefly of grain, unless possibly they reject the wing-cases 

 of beetles, and other similar substances. — E. W. H. Blagg (Cheadle, 

 Staffordshire). 



A new Egg-drill. — I have forwarded an egg-drill which was made for 

 me by the Dental Manufacturing Company, 6, Lexington Street. I believe 

 they call it a "burr," but it has to be specially made, for in a similar 

 instrument used by dentists the point is not sharp (its use being, 1 believe, 

 to enlarge cavities for filling). It is certainly far and away the best drill 

 I have ever used, as an infinitesimal amount of pressure is sufficient to 

 make the necessary hole. I may mention, not as an example of any skill 

 on my part, but in commendation of the instrument, that I have bored a 

 moorhen's egg with 175 holes witliout breaking the egg. T have also had 

 a similar di'ill made, half an inch in diameter, for embryotomy in large eggs. 

 — Heubekt Langton (115, Queen's Road, Brighton). 



[We have tested the drill in question, for which we are much obliged, 

 and have found it a veiy efficient instrument. It is so well balanced 

 that with ordinary care fracture of an egg when drilling it is well-nigh 

 impossible. — Ed.1 



