260 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



placed where found by some birds-nesting boy, or it may have been carried 

 there by some bird, though this seems unlikely, for egg-stealers among 

 birds usually, I believe, carry away their spoil impaled on their bill. 

 Perhaps, after all, there is more in the habits of Cuculus canorus than is 

 dreamt of! — W. Ruskin Butterfield (St. Leonards-on-Sea). 



Cuckoo's Egg in Rock Pipit's Nest.— On June 4th I took two 

 eggs of the Rock Pipit and one of the Cuckoo from a nest on the cliffs 

 at Abersoch, Carnarvonshire, and as Mr. E. Bidwell informs me that the 

 Rock Pipit is a rather rare fosterer of the Cuckoo, the present instance 

 is therefore perhaps worth recording. — Charles Oldham (Romiley, 

 Cheshire). 



Disease in Wood Pigeons, — During last autumn and winter the 

 unusual abundance of Wood Pigeons in the western portion of the New 

 Forest and neighbourhood was a cause of frequent remark, and many of 

 the birds were killed, a majority of which presented the peculiarity of having 

 lost their flight-feathers in a greater or less degree, and of being attacked 

 more or less with a tuberculous disease which appeared particularly about 

 the beak, legs and feet, causing unsightly swelling, with a discharge which 

 in some cases smelt disagreeably. Whether this disease was contagious or 

 not, I am not prepared to say ; but, viewing it in the light of the often- 

 discussed " germ theory," it seems possible, if not probable. At the time 

 that the Wood Pigeons were suffering in this way I saw a female Merlin 

 almost in the same plight, with swollen feet and nostrils, possibly from 

 feeding upon the diseased birds, if indeed this little falcon, like the more 

 powerful Peregrine, takes so large a quarry. Amongst the pigeons I saw 

 one which was suffering badly from the before-mentioned disease, and not 

 in good plumage, had the head pale grey, neck, back, and wing-coverts 

 uniform vinous or purple-grey — reminding one of the Turtle Dove's breast, 

 only darker — shading off almost to rust-colour on greater wing-coverts ; 

 breast paler vinous, and the twelve feathers of the tail were mottled dark 

 grey and white, the latter colour predominating. The larger quill-feathers 

 of the wings were of the usual leaden hue, with white edges ; there was no 

 indication of the " ring" upon the neck, and the eyes were of a much deeper 

 yellow than in the ordinary type. Sex, female.— G. B. Corbin (Ringwood, 

 Hants). 



Nightingales on the Welsh Border. — On May 13th we heard the 

 Nightingale here, for the first time since 1889, in agreement with the 

 local tradition that they come once in seven years. I believe there are 

 only two pairs. We are seven miles from the Welsh border. — (Miss) 

 Margaret G. Robinson (Peterchurch, Hereford). 



[The accuracy of this information is vouched for by the Rev. J. E. 

 Kelsall, who is known to many of the readers of this Journal as a good 

 ornithologist.— Ed.] 





