434 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



of a Whinchat — at least, I should think, a dozen times — and then flew away ; 

 but at last, on going up to the nest, I found it had deposited an egg. The 

 nest was in such a position, access being by a long narrow winding passage, 

 that it could not have been deposited in the nest in the usual way, but 

 must have been conveyed by the beak ; and, as far as I can remember, one 

 egg of the Whinchat was missing. I think that there can be little doubt 

 but that it occasionally robs birds' eggs ; but the question arises — " Is it a 

 common habit to rob eggs except from nests where it intends to deposit its 

 egg?" Our evidence on this point is decidedly in the negative. Nests of 

 various species abound on Blackhills, where the Cuckoo is also abundant, 

 and very seldom an egg is missing from any nest; and it is certain, if eggs 

 constituted an important item in its bill of fare, such a propensity could not 

 so long have escaped notice. One thing is certain, viz. that it very seldom 

 selects a ne3t in which to deposit its egg where the eggs are in an advanced 

 stage of incubation ; and this suggests another question, viz. "How does the 

 Cuckoo ascertain when the eggs are fresh; or, rather, when such condition 

 obtains as to induce her to deposit her egg?" 



Asio otus. Long-eared Owl. — A nest was found with young in May 

 (1899) in a fir-tree, but as a breeding species it is not at all common ; per- 

 haps, however, more so than formerly. 



Falco (Bsalon. Merlin. — A friend brought one here last winter, which 

 was presumed to have flown against the telegraph-wires, and in a few days 

 became as tame as one which had been brought up from the nest. It 

 could eat enormous quantities of food for its size. 



Eudromias morinellus. Dotterel. — Mr. Ellison, of Steetou, having 

 informed me that this species had bred recently on the moors above Keighley, 

 a young bird having been sent to Mr. Mosley, of Huddersfield, for identifi- 

 cation, I wrote to Mr. Mosley, requesting him to furnish me with any 

 particulars in his possession. He replied stating that the young bird in 

 question was certainly a Dotterel, but that there was no ground for coming 

 to the conclusion that it must of necessity have been bred in the vicinity 

 where it was caught, as in his opinion, judging from its size, it could have 

 flown from some distance. Mr. Walker, of Appletrewick, in Upper Wharfe- 

 dale, informs me that it has bred near there for two or three years, which 

 is rather an unlikely habitat. — E. P. Butterfield (Wilsden, Yorkshire). 



PISCES. 

 Opah at the Shetlands. — An Opah, or Sun-fish (Lampris luna), was 

 caught at West Voe, Dunrossness, on the mainland, on July 20th. — T. 

 Edmondston Saxby (Halligarth, Unst, Shetland). 



