LETTERS 



ERYTHRISM IN THE EGGS OF THE DARTFORD WARBLER. 



To the Editors of British Birds. 



Sirs, — With reference to the article on "The Breeding-habits of 

 the Dartford Warbler," and to the statement on page 218, I have 

 never seen a Dartford Warbler's nest in England, and know nothing 

 of their habits in this country. In the south of Spain erythrism 

 occurs in a large number of cases : birds were shot from the nests or 

 caught on them. On the other hand, I have not yet seen a red or 

 pink egg in an authentic nest of the Sardinian Warbler. 



Heatley Noble. 



Henley-on-Thames. 



To the Editors of British Birds. 



Sirs, — ^In my paper on the Dartford Warbler in your last 

 issue, I threw some doubt on the authenticity of the erythristic 

 eggs (red variety) of this species from the Continent, and suggested 

 that some at least probably belonged to the Sardinian Warbler. At 

 the time those notes were written I was unable to trace a collector 

 of known repute who had actually taken erythristic eggs of this 

 species on the Continent. I have, however, quite recently in 

 conversation with Mr. F. C. Selous, placed all doubt on the question 

 at rest. He informed me that he, with Mr. J. P. C. Musters, found 

 several nests of the Dartford Warbler in Spain containing erytliristic 

 clutches, all of which were carefully identified at the time. 



I may here mention that on p. 218, line 6, " at the large ends " 

 should read " at the small ends." 



P. F. BUNYARD. 



Croydon, January 20th, 1914. 



[For further details of erythrism in the eggs of both the Dartford 

 and Sardinian Warblers, see supra, pp. 252-3. — Eds.] 



WOODPECKERS EATING FRUIT. 



To the Editors of British Bujds. 

 Sirs, — Mr. Gillman's note in the January number of British 

 Birds (p. 242) is the first mention I have come across of a Green 

 Woodpecker eating apples. My friend the late Rev. T. W. Daltry, 

 who was well acquainted with all our wild birds, reported to me 

 in 1891 that during December, 1890, and January, 1891, a Green 

 Woodpecker {Picus v. pliivivs) paid daily visits to his garden at 



