NOTES AND QUEBIES. 575 



bird belonged, surely white under parts, with a conspicuous black band 

 across the breast, cannot be referable to the Red-backed Shrike. I 

 suggested the Shore Lark, though I knew its summer appearance would be 

 opposed to experience, only because I could not identify the plumage I saw 

 with that of any other bird.— H. W. Evans (Athenaeum, Plymouth). 



Egg-producing Powers of the Common Redshank.— In connection 

 with Mr. H. Alderson's note on the egg-producing powers of the Wryneck, 

 the following may be interesting as illustrating those of the Common Red- 

 shank. The first clutch was completed about April 25th ; these were 

 taken about May 10th, and on May 16th there were two eggs in a new nest 

 close by ; these were destroyed by cattle or rooks, and by May 22nd 

 another full clutch was laid a few yards away. These were taken on May 

 22nd or 23rd, and by June 1st four more eggs were laid eight or ten yards 

 away ; these were again taken, and the bird laid another full clutch, of which 

 two were hatched on July 1st, the other two eggs being broken. Of course 

 in this case it is much more difficult to be sure that all these eighteen eggs 

 were the produce of one pair of birds ; but the following are my reasons for 

 thinking so : this is the first time that Redshanks have nested in this 

 spot, at least for the six years I have known it ; that never more than one 

 pair of birds were seen there ; and that all the nests were close together, 

 but no two nests contained eggs at the same time. From these facts it 

 would seem that gestation in this species lasts about five days. — A. Bankes 

 (Otterwood, Beaulieu, Southampton). 



Egg-producing Powers of the Dipper.— A somewhat similar case 

 to that described of the Wryneck (p. 511) came under my own observation 

 with regard to a Dipper. Twenty-eight eggs were taken from the same nest. 

 After the twenty-eighth had been removed I was told of it, and with a little 

 persuasion, and the help of a little current coin of the realm, I procured for 

 the unfortunate bird immunity from further depredations. She laid four 

 more eggs, and brought up three youngsters in peace. — Oxley Grabham 

 (Chestnut House, Heworth, York). 



Egg-producing Powers of Birds.—I was much interested in Mr. H. 

 Alderson's note in last month's ' Zoologist,' about the Wryneck, and I should 

 like to ask him if he is absolutely certain that there were no intervals during 

 the laying of the sixty-two eggs. I have often read that, by robbing a nest 

 repeatedly, a bird may be made to lay an egg daily for about a month, but 

 I have always considered that these reports were due to a want of careful 

 observation in noticing the intervals between the batches of eggs laid. It 

 seems to me impossible that a bird should be able to produce eggs at will, 

 and I have always thought that the number of eggs to be laid was deter- 

 mined before the first was produced. If a female be examined just before 



