148 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



bird was so wild that I released it. Last year I saw one in Longton 

 that had been in a cage for about two years ; it behaved much as the 

 Linnet, and was continually uttering its call-note. The local name 

 for the Twite is 'Dummock,' and any local birdcatcher knows that 

 the Twite is meant by this name. I think the fact that this bird 

 has obtained a local name goes far to show that this species is 

 fairly common in winter with us." I may add that this local name 

 " Dummock " must not be confused with " Dunnock," a local name 

 for the Hedge-Sparrow, but by which this bird is seldom if ever 

 known in Staffordshire. — John R. B. Masefield (Eosehill, Cheadle, 

 Staffordshire). 



The Colour of the Kingfisher. — A perusal of the interesting 

 article in December ' Zoologist ' on the above subject (1910, p. 462) 

 brings to my recollection an incident of many years ago. An artist, 

 who in the summer spent much of his time sketching in this neigh- 

 bourhood, on one occasion painted a large picture of a portion of the 

 meadows, in which the winding river, with its sedges, alders, and 

 willows, was a somewhat conspicuous feature ; he thought the intro- 

 duction of a flying Kingfisher would be a great improvement, if not 

 an absolute necessity, as he had seen almost daily one or more of 

 those winged jewels, and asked if amongst my few birds I had an 

 uncased specimen to lend. I happened to have all his desire. The 

 picture for the most part was painted in the meadow^s, but certain 

 details — the figure of the Kingfisher amongst the number — were done 

 in a large billiard-room where much of the light was obtained from 

 the glass roof. On the return of my bird I was invited to see 

 the finished canvas, and at once saw the well-outlined Kingfisher was 

 incorrectly coloured. The gentleman was somewhat amazed at my 

 criticism, and, having again brought the bird for comparison, he dis- 

 covered that altering its position, say, from right to left, or vice versa, 

 the colour of the back changed, and he afterwards told me that if the 

 bird remained in the same position in the room, the colour of the back 

 was not the same in the afternoon as it was in the morning, doubt- 

 less accounted for by the different position of the main source of 

 daylight, but of this latter peculiarity I had no personal experience. — 

 G. B. CoRBiN (Ringwood, Hants). 



Period of Incubation of the Sparrow-Hawk. — Referring to Mr. 

 Jourdain's note on Mr. Selous's article on the domestic habits of the 

 Sparrow-Hawk, it occurred to me also, on reading the passage {ante, 

 p. 53), that Mr. Selous was quite unnecessarily suspecting the boj^ of 



