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NOTES AND QUERIES. 



A VES. 



Nightingale and Willow-Wren in Captivity. — I had recently a 

 great treat, being taken by a friend to see a collection of foreign 

 and British birds kept by a German working man in a small attic 

 over his workroom in a house in the town, and was surprised to see 

 all the birds in such perfect health and plumage, for they had only a 

 minimum of light and scarcely any sunshine. I was particularly 

 interested in a Nightingale kept for three years, and also a Willow- 

 Wren, lively and active, hopping about as if in its native haunts, 

 and so tame that both took wasp-grubs from the hand. There were 

 also a large number of rare and valuable foreign birds, all in fine 

 plumage and health, a pair of Hoopoes, and a pair of Grey Wagtails. 

 — Robert Waeeen (Ardnaree, Monkstown, Co. Cork). 



Albino House-Sparrow in Yorkshire. — On August 24th last Miss 

 Grimshaw, of Eden Place, Ackworth, in the West Riding of York- 

 shire, showed me a beautiful example of an albino House-Sparrow 

 (Passer domesticus) which had just previously been killed by her 

 cat. There was no colouring matter whatever in the plumage, tarsi, 

 toes, claws, or beak, which were pure white. The carcase was 

 fortunately not damaged, and the bird was sent to Mr. Cullingford, 

 of Durham, to preserve, and on dissection it was found to be a male. 

 — Walter B. Aeundel (High Ackworth, Pontefract). 



Late Eggs of Nightjar (Caprimulgus europseus) : Was it a Second 

 Brood? — The present abnormal summer, with its autumn-like days 

 and nights, may account for almost any irregularity we may observe 

 in the economy or occurrence of birds, insects, or plants, and I am 

 aware that the occasional double-broodedness of this peculiar 

 summer-loving bird is an open question ; consequently the following 

 note may be of interest : — On Aug. 15th I had two eggs sent me, 

 which had been picked up the day previously on exactly the same 

 spot where a pair of birds had been hatched and reared in the early 

 part of the season — I think in June. The two eggs in question were 

 perfectly fresh, the yolks were intact, and without the least indication 



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