NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS. 39 



what has been observed in the island of Samoa concerning the 

 Dldunculus or Little Dodo.* 



A converse divergence of habit has been noted in the Jackdaw. 

 Mrs. Blackburn says : — "I have seen their nests in the island of 

 Inch Murrin, in Loch Lomond, among the roots of old oak-trees, 

 some of them quite low down in the ground, others above, with 

 great quantities of sticks both above and below." 



The Red Grouse, as is well known, lives almost entirely upon 

 heather, but will feed also in the oat-fields when these are situated 

 on the edge of the moor. The food of the Black Grouse is very 

 different. These birds feed largely on the buds of the bog myrtle ; 

 Mrs. Blackburn has found their crops quite full of them, emitting a 

 strong aromatic scent when opened. In winter she has found them 

 full of alder catkins. Like the Red Grouse, however, they are 

 also fond of frequenting the oat-fields. Some young ones which 

 Mrs. Blackburn once captured in the heather were kept in con- 

 finement for some days, and thrived upon green peas until they 

 were liberated. 



The Partridge, we are told (p. 125), is " not a native of 

 Moidart," and Mrs. Blackburn's experience, in an attempt to 

 introduce it there, is rather curious. She sa} r s : — 



" We hatched some Partridge eggs in the incubator and tried to rear 

 them, but without success. They seemed to thrive at first, and took their 

 food well, but dropped off daily, and were all dead in a fortnight from no 

 apparent cause. We then got four pairs of full-grown birds. They 

 arrived during frost in winter, so w T e had to keep them enclosed for a time 

 till thaw came, and fed them on fresh cabbage and grain. We let them 

 out two at a time, to let them get accustomed to the place, for fear they 

 should fly away together if they were all set at liberty at once. They 

 remained near for some time, coming back for the food laid out for them, 

 and sometimes feeding with the chickens or joining the Pheasants. They 

 very soon took to feeding on the sea-shore, among the cast up sea-weed, 

 and finding " hoppers " and other marine delicacies, showing rather a 

 remarkable taste for inland-bred birds imported to London from Hungary. 

 In due time they nested, and hatched small broods, but they all dis- 

 appeared in the course of the year, probably having become the prey of 

 Sparrowhawks, or escaped cottage cats, of which there are more than 

 enough here." 



* See the observations on a change of habit in the Diduncuhis, by the 

 Eev. J. S. Whitmee, quoted in an article on " Eare Birds now living in the 

 Zoological Society's Gardens," ' The Field,' December 26th, 1874. 



