NOTES AND QUERIES. 269 



the stomach, which he afterwards informed me contained semi-digested 

 portions of the fresh-water shrimp (Gammarus pule®). The length of the 

 bird is 11£ in., wing 9 in. Referring to Mr. Saunders' ■ Manual of British 

 Birds,' I find that up till 1889 only six specimens have been recorded, four 

 of which were obtained in England, one in the Scilly Islands, and one in 

 Ireland. The last specimen was obtained near Plymouth in 1805, and 

 unless there is a record since 1889, which has escaped me, I presume the 

 specimen now in ray possession is only the seventh obtained in the British 

 Islands. It is a new and interesting addition to the Scottish list. — Hugh 

 Mackay (33, King Street, Dumfries). 



Robin nesting in Church. — The following may interest some of your 

 readers. On March 31st, on going to clean the chapel, the woman found 

 on one of the book-ledges a heap of rubbish, evidently brought by a bird ; she 

 cleared it away, but on going again the following Saturday, April 7th, found 

 a still larger heap and a perfectly finished Robin's nest. This also, I am 

 sorry to say, was removed ; but on hearing of it I had the nest put back in 

 the same place, but without any of the accompanying debris. On going to 

 see it this morning 1 was pleased to find the bird sitting on four eggs. As 

 the nest is not more than one foot from persons in the pew it will be 

 interesting to see whether she continues to sit during service. If she 

 should successfully rear her brood I will let you know, should you care to 

 insert this. — H. W. Wykeham (Thame Park, Thame). 



Varieties of Rooks. — At Annesley Park there are three rookeries, and 

 during forty years there has never been a variety seen. Last week the 

 shepherd saw what he thought were two white pigeons, but on looking at 

 them more closely a second time he found they were Rooks. He informed 

 the park-keeper, who thereupon shot them. They were strong fliers, in 

 full feather, and as white as snow, with white bills and legs and pink eyes. 

 The owner, Mr. Musters, returned home the same afternoon, and on going 

 to another rookery in the park shot two pied ones, pale yellow and black, 

 with feet and legs mottled. Another has since been seen in a third place. 

 It is very curious that so many varieties should occur at one time in a 

 locality where none had been seen for so many years. — J. Whitaker 

 (Rainworth, Notts). 



Nesting of the Dipper. — I have known the same pair of Dippers 

 (Cinclus aquaticus) to build for the last fifteen years under an archway 

 close to my home. There is no mistaking their identity, for when a lad I 

 often used to catch the hen bird, which has only one leg. Their nesting 

 place is well known to boys in the neighbourhood, hence they seldom have 

 the good fortune to get a brood reared and flown. This year I found their 

 nests as follows: — April llth, nest containing five eggs; 12th, nest and 

 eggs gone ; 24th, nest containing five eggs ; 30th, nest and eggs gone ; 



