74 . THE ZOOLOGIST. 
matter to notice the difference between the two sounds, and to 
remark also that, instead of the ‘‘ Thrush-like single notes’ described 
by some writers, the interjected clear calls are more like the mono- 
syllables used by the nesting Common Sandpiper against an intruder. 
The song is a common feature of the winter chorus of our fields, but 
as most people only make its acquaintance by the rarest of accidents, 
it has the reputation of being a rare phenomenon. When the birds 
sing in concert, as is frequently the case, a near approach is a difficult 
business ; but in the bare tree-tops it is easy to see from a distance 
by the help of a good glass whether Starlings are present or not, and 
one can generally detect an odd bird with the characteristic gestures 
of a songster.—FREDK. J. STUBBS. 
Nutcracker: Structure of Tongue.—-Mr. Tuck (ante, p. 34) will 
find in ‘ Zoographia Rosso-Asiatica,’ Pallas, 1831, vol. 1. p. 398, par- 
ticulars of a further peculiarity in the structure of the tongue of this 
bird (Nuczfraga caryocatactes). The passage is as follows :—“ Linguez 
frenum laxum, in saccum sublingualem dilatabile, qui ad Laryngem 
usque per gulam extenditur, et in quo avis nucleos Cembre ultra 
50. semuncialis ponderis, circumfert.”” — THomas GrounpD (Kenil- 
worth). 
Little Auks at Rochdale—Feb. lst: Female caught alive in a 
cotton-factory yard (Mitchell Hey), Rochdale. lived three days. 
Feb. 5th : Male caught alive, Spring Cottage, Smallbridge, Rochdale. 
Lived a few hours. — F. Winuiamson (Art Gallery and Museum, 
Rochdale). 
Av CHEsteR.—TIwo specimens of the Little Auk (Mergulus alle) 
were taken in the Dee at Chester on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 3rd 
and 4th. One was killed with a stone, and the other specimen was 
picked up dead at the water’s edge by some boys. The stomach of 
one contained roots of plants, the other was completely empty. — 
A. NewstEAD (Chester). 
At Kerrerinc.—Feb. 3rd: A Little Auk was found by a work- 
man in a field near Kettering. It was in an exhausted condition, and 
died shortly after. Another was shot near here last week, but this 
bird was in good condition. I saw both the birds at Field’s, our local 
birdstuffer. A Large Black-backed Gull was sorting over the horse- 
droppings in one of our streets, Feb. 6th. —Cuarues HE. WRiGcHt 
(Woodside, Kettering, Northampton). 
Causes of our Rare breeding Birds disappearing.—I heg to correct 
a, mistake in my notes in last month’s number by omitting an extract 
from ‘The Zoologist’ in the ‘Irish Naturalist’ for 1908: “‘ The 
