18 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



so forth ; often very well written, but wholly inapplicable to the species 

 whose recent demise is deplored. As a matter of fact, the so-called Golden 

 Eagles which happen to be shot or trapped in the South of England in late 

 autumn or early winter, hardly ever prove to belong to that species. If 

 they are Eagles at all, which is not always the case — for many people do 

 not know an Eagle from a Buzzard — they are in nine cases out of ten the 

 young of the White tailed Eagle, Haliaetus albicilla, which, as a British 

 species, is much commoner than the Golden Eagle, and in the eastern and 

 south-eastern parts of England may be considered to be an annual visitor 

 in autumn and winter. As to the birds which were taken in Kent in 

 December last, and were almost universally chronicled as " Golden Eagles," 

 it may be well to give publicity to a contradiction of the statement in the 

 following letters which were addressed to the editor of the ' Standard,' and 

 were printed in the issue of that paper for Dec. 30th : — 



" Sir, — A notice appears in the ' Standard ' of Dec. 27th of another 

 Golden Eagle being shot in Kent. It may interest some of your readers to 

 learn that the one reported to have been shot at St. Lawrence, Kent, a 

 short time back (Dec. 22nd) was an immature specimen of the White- 

 tailed Sea Eagle, and in all probability the one now reported at Eastwell 

 will prove to belong to the same species. The Golden Eagle is very rare 

 in the South of England, and each year its appearance becomes more and 

 more improbable, from its ceaseless persecution, both for the sake of its 

 eggs and skin. One cannot but deplore the ruthless slaughter of these 

 noble birds when tired out on migration to safer and more peaceful 

 latitudes. — F. Dyer (Grange Road, Ramsgate, Dec. 27th.") 



" Sir, — The Eagle captured in Eastwell Park on Dec. 22nd is not a 

 Golden Eagle, but a young specimen of the White-tailed Eagle. — J. T. 

 Crockett and Sons, Naturalists (7a, Princes Street, Cavendish Square, 

 Dec. 28th.") 



Blackgame in Lancashire.— On Nov. 18th a Grey-hen was shot by 

 Mr. W. King-Wilkinson's keeper on Easington Fell, about twelve miles 

 north of Blackburn. The nearest moors frequented by Black Grouse are 

 those in the neighbourhood of Huddersfield (30 miles S.E.), Nidderdale 

 (30 miles E.), and Cartmell Fell (30 miles N.W.). In 1864 an un- 

 successful attempt was made to introduce the species at Whitewell. I 

 cannot learn that any Black Grouse have been seen here since that date, 

 until the occurrence of the present bird, which Mr. King-Wilkinson has 

 kindly presented to the Blackburn Museum. — Robert J. Howard 

 (Hawkhurst, Blackburn). 



The Dispersal of Acorns by Rooks.-- On this subject allow me to 

 refer Mr. Clement Reed to a paper of mine in the ' Proceedings of the 

 Dorset Natural History and Antiquarian Field Club' for 1891 (vol. xii. 

 p. 132). The habit of Rooks carrying acorns to considerable distances and 



