notes and queries. 141 



On an iron bolt, on the stern-post of one of the old wrecks which are so 

 numerous on some of the sand-banks at the mouth of the Humber. — G. H. 

 Caton Haigh (Aber-ia, Penrhyndeudraeth, Merionethshire, N. Wales). 



Surrey Rooks in New Zealand. — Some time since I requested Lord 

 Onslow (the Governor of New Zealand) to enquire about our Surrey 

 colonists, the Books, in that country, which he has most kindly done ; but 

 before I give his report I must observe that this useful and interesting bird 

 is an introduction, and not existing there before Mr. Bartlett, of the 

 Zoological Gardens, and his son, with myself, collected them in this neigh- 

 bourhood, viz., from the rookeries of Hoe Place and Sand Grove, where 

 every kind assistance was given us by the owners, the late Mr. W. Wain- 

 wright and the late Mr. A. P. Onslow. Before giving Lord Onslow's letter, 

 which is very interesting, I must mention a curious fact, which saved no 

 end of trouble as well as expense, which was this : — At first the young Books 

 required feeding three or four times a day, having the appetites of all young 

 things, and as there were forty of them, the keepers were engaged all day 

 at this work. However, curiously enough, they were happily released by 

 the elder of the young Books taking this upon themselves, in which they 

 appeared to take the greatest delight. They certainly did their work well, 

 for only one died out of the forty. I now give Lord Onslow's account of 

 how they became good and faithful subjects :— "I have enquired about the 

 Books, and have rarely been more amused than with the account of their 

 proceedings. It appears that after they were liberated they made a careful 

 tour of both islands, being seen in different localities in succession round 

 the coast. They finally selected two or three spots, which they colonised 

 just like human beings, and where they have quite installed themselves. 

 At one place Mr. Huddlestone found they could not build with the twigs 

 of the native trees, because they were so flat they would not hold. Anxious 

 not to lose his Books, which he had had in the garden quite tame, he hit 

 on the expedient of notching the twigs and giving them to the Books ; and 

 he was seen most solemnly cutting notches in the twigs, and handing them 

 to the Books, who thereupon took them away for building materials. Sir 

 James Hector, the leading naturalist and curator of the museum, who 

 knows your name well, is my authority for this, which I hope will be 

 interesting to you." I am sure those who read this will agree with me that 

 certain parties in Northumberland who have combined to kill off these 

 useful grub-eaters should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves. — F. H. 

 Salvin (Whitmoor House, Guildford). 



Supposed cause of the Migration of Birds. — The migration of birds 

 was no doubt originally caused by temperature, which directly affected the 

 birds, and also acted indirectly by its effects upon the food-supply of 

 insectivorous species. Migration was not caused by the want of food alone, 



