NOTES AND QUERIES. 271 



were within a day or two of hatching out, and we found one newly hatched 

 bird lying alongside an unhatched egg. Observing several of the small 

 Terns hovering over the sand at the end of Bartragh, I crossed the channel 

 to the island, and found four pairs hatching on the bare sand just above 

 high-water mark. It was the first time I had found Terns breeding on the 

 island, although visiting it annually for the last thirty years. This sudden 

 arrival of such large numbers of the Lesser Tern to a breeding haunt 

 usually frequented by so few birds is very interesting, and suggests that 

 from some unexplained cause they had probably deserted some other 

 breeding-ground. Their nearest haunt to Killala Bay is that in Brown's 

 Bay on the Sligo coast, between thirty and forty miles distant ; but even if 

 they had moved from that haunt it would not account for the increase in 

 their numbers, for only about ten or twelve pairs usually breed there. — 

 Robert Warren (Moy View, Ballina, Co. Mayo). 



Fearlessness of the Spotted Flycatcher.— On June 6th, 1895, I 

 found a nest of the Spotted Flycatcher, Muscicapa grisola, containing five 

 eggs ; and as they were exceptionally well-marked specimens, I took both 

 nest and eggs for my collection. On arriving at an outhonse in my garden, 

 about fifty yards from the spot, I examined the eggs more carefully, and 

 came to the conclusion that they were of no use to me, being apparently 

 hard set. Therefore, after testing one of the eggs in water, I returned to 

 the spot and replaced the nest in the fork of the tree from which T had 

 taken it, arranging it as naturally as possible. To my surprise the old bird 

 shortly returned to it, and recommenced sitting on the eggs as if nothing 

 had occurred. On June 9th I revisited the nest and found young birds in 

 it, and they are now (June 12th) doing well. — E. A. Butler, Lt.-Col. 

 (Brettenham Park, Ipswich). 



Language and Instincts of the Domestic Fowl. — At a recent 

 meeting of the Oxfordshire Natural History Society, held in the Museum, 

 Mr. G. C. Druce, F.L.S., in the chair, a lecture was given by Mr. G. J. 

 Burch, M.A., on the language of birds. He explained that he had been 

 led to make a series of systematic observations on the language and 

 instincts of the domestic fowl some years ago, when the negligence of a 

 sitting hen obliged him to undertake the care of some young chicks from 

 the time of their leaving the shell. Hatched under these circumstances, 

 there were special opportunities for observing the inborn faculties of the 

 birds, and the lecturer had found that all his preconceived notions of in- 

 herited instinct must give way before the utter helplessness of the chicks. 

 Unable at first to balance themselves on their feet, repeated efforts had to 

 be made before they could stand. They were without any notion of picking 

 up food when hungry, or swallowing it; indeed, the most rudimentary 

 actions of life had to be learnt by experience. Absurd attempts to reach 

 an object were made before any idea of distance was gained, and strauger 



