Birds. 1077 



their young master, in order that she herself might the more sedulously attend to the 

 eggs on which she was then sitting, and which were probably laid with a view to that 

 circumstance, and which she knew would no longer permit of her absence from them, 

 without endangering the future expectations of a second family ; and yet, when she 

 heard the note of sorrow and lament from her first-born, she instantly flew to their 

 relief, and staid as long with them as she dared to remain absent from her eggs. 

 A little warmth and timely cherishing soon restored the two little bullfinches to 

 their wanton merriment, and removed all the evil effects which had been wrongfully 

 imputed to the unnatural and murderous attempt of their attentive parents, but arose 

 from their young ones' previous wetting and having been exposed to the cold night-air. 

 W. H. S. ; Hatton Hall, July 10, 1845. 



Occurrence of Aquatic Birds near Odiham. The scoter (Oidemia nigra) has occur- 

 red twice in winter at some water in Basing parish. I never heard of its coming so 

 far inland before. I may add also the Egyptian goose, and summer duck of North 

 America (Anas sponsa). This last bird I could never recognise, till I saw the descrip- 

 tion of it in the ' Pictorial Museum of Natural History.' I think it had most probably 

 escaped from some place where it had been turned out. — P. L. Sclater ; Hoddington, 

 near Odiham. 



Remarkable Duck's Egg. I have met with a lusus naturae lately, of which (as I 

 have never seen any notice of it) I take the liberty of sending you an account. A few 

 days before I came up to town, a very large egg was laid by a duck at a farmer's near 

 us (at Tongham, four miles from Farnham). My father happened to be making a pro- 

 fessional call there at the time they were consulting on the egg, and it was blown in 

 his presence, when only one white and yolk came out, but a large opaque body was 

 left in the egg ; this, on a larger opening being made, turned out to be a perfect egg, 

 shell and all, of the usual size. Since then the eggs have come into my hands, though 

 I am sorry to say rather the worse for their transit to Farnham and then here. The 

 same week the duck laid another precisely similar egg, but rather less. — W. O. Newn- 

 ham ; Chaplain's House, Guy's Hospital. 



Description of an Egg of the common Duck. It is of the usual size and shape, but 

 is covered, with the exception of a band in the middle, about half an inch wide, with 

 a greenish and very minute incrustation. On submitting a small portion of the shell 

 to the microscope, the colouring matter appears in the shape of minute rings or circles, 

 enclosing semitransparent convex pustules or spots, and presenting the appearance of 

 an eye, from having a small concentric ring near its centre, of a lighter colour. The 

 egg at first sight has the appearance of having been painted a dark green with a hard 

 brush ; but the microscopic test leaves no suspicion that such could have been the case. 

 Washing has no effect in removing any portion of the colouring matter. The egg was 

 laid in this neighbourhood about twor months since. — J. M. Dashwood ; Barton, near 

 Lichfield, June 7, 1845. 



