5riSCEL;,ANEA. 217 



Most of the Passeres moult before migrating. Does the young 

 Cuckoo moult before migrating ? or does it moult in its winter 

 quarters ? 



How does the old Cuckoo come to the knowledge of the time 

 when it must place the egg in the nest it selects for that purpose ? 

 For if the Cuckoo's egg should not hatch for a few days after 

 the others, the young Cuckoo would be too feeble to perform the 

 operation of lifting the young of its foster-parents over the edge 

 of the nest. 



In concluding these observations, I cannot help pointing out 

 that the recent provisions of the Bird Acts prevent, at present, in 

 England, any further investigations on these and other important 

 points in Bird-life, which require to be made during the breeding 

 season, in order to complete our knowledge and perfect the his- 

 tory of our British Bird-Fauna. — Olserved hy JoJin Ifcmcock, at 

 Oatlands, Surrei/, in June, 1884, and read Nov . 26tk, 1885. 



JVbte on the Indian form of the Sfotted Eagle [Aquila noevia, 

 Briss.) shot on the Northumherland Coast, near Cressivell, Octoler 

 Zlst, 1885. — ^A few days ago I had the pleasure of examining, 

 through the kindness of Mr. B,obt. Duncan, a .fine specimen of 

 this interesting bird, which has not before been recorded as oc- 

 curring on the Northumberland coast or in our district. It is a 

 bird of the year, in very fine unworn plumage, and undoubtedly 

 the same as the Indian form, of which I have examined many 

 specimens. The length of this example, from the end of bill to 

 end of tail, was 28 inches. The extent of wings, 67 inches. 

 Eye hazel. — John Hancock. 



Lichen Memorabilia, 1884. — A day spent in the neighbourhood 

 of Morpeth, Northumberland, in the early part of last year, al- 

 though none of the brightest so far as the weather went, is now 

 a pleasant recollection. The spring had come but not the leaves 

 or the fresh grass, yet it was easy to feel all about one that 

 these were coming, for the whole earth seemed slowly awaking 

 out of a sleep, and quietly swelling out her fulness of reviving 

 life in embryo and bud. The old iiTegular town of Morpeth is 



