OBSERVATIONS AND QUERIES. 17 



one result was that most delightful book, "Siberia in Asia." The com- 

 panion volume, "Siberia in Europe," is a most capital account of his 

 and Mr. Harvie-Brown's trip after the eggs of Grey Plover and Little Stint, 

 several clutches of each being taken, and also other eggs not previously 

 known. But the book I most delight in is his "British Birds." Here 

 he is thoroughly at home, and, as in nearly every case he writes from 

 personal knowledge, he has compiled a work that ought to be in every 

 natural history lover's possession. This book takes a very high standard 

 both for letter-press and also on account of the coloured plates. Most 

 books on birds, previously to this, are compiled from many authors ; but 

 here, in almost every case, the work is the author's own — the result of 

 journeys to almost every country in Europe. Mr. Seebohm also gave 

 much help to the classification of birds in the Natural History Museum, 

 and has left his magnificent collection of over 16,000 specimens to the 

 nation — by far the finest collection ever given. It is particularly rich in 

 Thrushes (a group Mr. Seebohm took the greatest interest in). I had the 

 pleasure of entertaining Mr. Seebohm several times at Rainworth, and 

 shall always look back on those visits with pleasure. I am also indebted 

 to him for some specimens in my variety collection, and many of his 

 books, which I treasure much ; and I shall ever cherish the memory 



of this true lover of birds. 



J. Whitaker. 



OBSERVATIONS AND QUERIES. 



Notes on the Eggs of the Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus). — The following 

 notes will, I think, be of interest to readers of the " Ornithologist," as all 

 collectors of cuckoo's eggs must have frequently had their faith greatly tried, 

 and any certain test of genuine specimens should be gladly accepted. In 

 common with other collectors, amateur and professional, I receive a fair 

 number of real or alleged eggs of C. canorus every year, but until now I 

 have found that the greater the number, the greater has become my uncer- 

 tainty in deciding on the authenticity or otherwise of some of them. Many 

 "cuckoo clutches" have been sent me by correspondents of whose bona- 

 fides and truthfulness I have no possible doubt, but amongst them have fre- 

 quently been specimens that I could not believe genuine, and when investi- 

 gation was made as to their origin, these clutches proved not to have been 

 found by my correspondents, but either taken in exchange, or " pointed out " 

 to them by paid country assistants. It would be an interesting question to 

 know whether some of these ' ' assistants " are actuated by purely mercenary 

 motives, or merely with a humanitarian desire to give their friends the 

 pleasure of believing they are taking what they evidently seem to desire. 



