556 TEE ZOOLOGIST. 



Siskins than myself whether the Siskin is to be considered one of our 

 regular winter songsters. Two pairs of Siskins passed the summer in the 

 neighbourhood of Pitlochry, but I fancy that they nested in private grounds. 

 At all events, we saw nothing of either uests or young, though both adult 

 and immature birds were caught by a pointsman early in September. — H. 

 A. Macphersox (The Rectory, Pitlochry). 



Number of Eggs in the Nest of Swift Cypselus apusi. — The follow- 

 ing iucident may be worth mention in connection with this subject. In 

 1894 there was under the roof of the house where I was then living a Swift's 

 nest containing three eggs, one of which had an imperfect shell, as if there 

 had not been quite enough material to finish it. The following year the 

 nest contained three eggs, all of which had perfect shells. This makes it 

 probable that in the latter year the birds had just reached their breeding 

 prime. Unluckily, in 1895 a ventilating shaft was run up close to the nest, 

 in consequence of which the birds deserted the site. — A. Baxkes (Leaden- 

 hall, The Close, Salisbury). 



The Little Owl (Carine noctuai. — At frequeut iutervals the Little Owl 

 is recorded as having been obtained in some part of the kiugdom, as if its 

 occurrence was that of some rare straggler. The collectors of these birds 

 are in reality, however, only thwarting the endeavours of those who for 

 mauy years have been trying their utmost to establish this bird as an 

 introduced species. Little Owls have been released in numbers in various 

 parts of the kingdom for years pa>t, and in some districts have bred 

 regularly, and are in a fair way to becoming permanently established. If 

 the stragglers from these colonies were left alone the species would speedily 

 become general throughout the couutry, and we should have the pleasure of 

 6eeing this entertaining little bird frequently, for the Little Owl is not noc- 

 turnal, as is the majority of the Owl family, but is to a great extent diurnal, 

 and a frequenter of comparatively open ground, rocks, orchards, &c. It is 

 needless to add that it is harmless, and also that it is very useful. Intro- 

 duced species are not always a success, but no harm and much pleasure is 

 to be got by encouraging this bird ; and the acquisition of the dead body of 

 an introduced species, or of an escape, can be of no interest even to the 

 collector of British birds. — E. G. B. Meade-Waldo. 



The Little Owl in North Wales (?;. — In the October number of ' The 

 Zoologist ' (ante, p. 48"^), Mr. H. E. Forrest questions the occurrence of 

 the Little Owl (Carine noctua) in Flintshire, aud ahks whether it has ever 

 been obtaiued in North Wales. It may interest him and others to know 

 that an undoubted specimen was shot in Anglesea by one of a Pheasant* 

 shooting party in the winter of 1899-1900, and is now in the collection of 

 Mr. Stivens, of this city. I am unable to say if it is likely to have been an 

 imported bird. — W. Hexry Dobie (Chester). 



