438 THE BIRDS OF DEVOX. 



(see Zool. 1S70, p, 4S0). Three have been obtained in the county 

 of Dorset. 



Great Spotted Woodpecker (p. 111). — " Heard some yom:ig birds 

 making a noise in iSaltram Wood in a hollow oak, and saw a Great 

 Spotted Woodpecker near, so discovered the noise proceeded from a 

 brood of the species (14th June, 1860). The Great Spotted Wood- 

 pecker visited Fursdon this season ; one or two have been noticed 

 for a week past or more, attracted very possibly by tlie wild cherries 

 now about here (loth July, 188(3)." \T. E. A. E.) 



"Wryneck (p. 114). — ifr. Mansel-Pleydell states that the AVryneck is 

 well known in Dorset as a summer migrant, but we should doubt its 

 being numerous in the extreme west of that county. In Cornwall, 

 according to Mr. Ivodd, it is only seen rarely in the autumn, and in 

 the neighbourhood of the coast. 



Roller (p. 117). — To the "West Country Rollers we can add an example 

 that was shot near Dorchester in 1SC8, the onh' Dorsetshire speci- 

 men known to 'Mr. Manscl-Pleydell. In addition to the four recorded 

 by Mr. liodd is another shot at Falmouth in October 1842, that was 

 described by Dr. 13ullmore in his ' Cornish Fauna.' 



Bee-eater (p. 118). — Mr. Mansel-Pleydell states that the Bee-eater 

 shot at Chideock is now in the Bridport Museum. 



Cuckoo (p. 121). — This bird very frequentl}' lays its eggs in the nest 

 of the Eobin, and according to observations made by Mr. Henry 

 Kicholls it would appear probable that it sometimes selects that of 

 the Swallow. (Zool. 18G'J, p. 18GG.) 



" A Titlark flew up from a nest on Crownhill Down, in which I 

 discovered a very recently hatched young Cuckoo perfectly bare of 

 feathers, and on the edge of the nest a Titlark quite as young Avhich 

 the Cuckoo had no doubt turned out of it. I replaced it in the nest, 

 and the Cuckoo soon began to endeavour to again eject it. By 

 means of the tips of its wings and its claws, which it stuck into the 

 materials of the nest, it lilted it up to the brim, but did not succeed 

 in getting it out whilst I watched it, as the branches of ling and 

 coarse grass growing outside the part of the nest whither it brought 

 its burthen prevented its falling over. The only place where it 

 seemed possible for it to effect its purpose was that where I found it 

 at first, on account of the impediments the ling and grass presented 

 all around the other portion of the nest. Its back was remarkably 

 flat, and the tips of its wings had a remarkable curvature that 

 enabled it to use them as if they had been claws iu elevating its 

 burthen." (T. 11. A. B.) 



Snowy Owl (p. 134). — Mr. Mansel-Pleydell states that a Snowy Owl 

 shot at Langston Copse in Doreetshire (ho mentions no date) is in 

 Mr. Farquharson's collection. 



