270 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
Notes on the Chaffinch.—Referring to Mr. Witchell’s interesting notes 
on Fringilla celebs (ante, p. 195), I may state that in my garden aviary— 
during the love fever especially—my Chaffinches frequently indulge in the 
full gurgling rattle he speaks of (and so also does the Bramble-finch*), but I 
do not think we can reasonably draw the conclusion that coition occurs in 
the air. As the result of observation of birds in the fields and captives in 
my aviary, the only conclusion to be placed on the swooping flights and 
close contact of the birds he so fully describes, is that of their violent 
courtship. During this time, in my garden aviary, they are continually 
chasing one another (that is, male and female) from one end to the other, 
swooping and circling, and sometimes falling to the ground together; but I 
have never observed coition to take place, save on the ground and in the 
branches, when the male bird gives forth the full gurgling rattle afore- 
mentioned, as I noticed only two days ago. I quite thought the theory of 
Chaffinches copulating in the air was exploded long ago, and as the result 
of my own observations do not consider there is any evidence to support it. 
Dr. Butler also states this very clearly in the work now publishing, ‘ British 
Birds, with their Eggs and Nests..— W. T. Pacr (6, Rylett Crescent, 
Shepherd’s Bush). 
Rooks feeding on Elvers.—On the 27th of April last, when fishing on 
the Laune, in Co. Kerry, I observed Rooks flying to the edge of the water, 
where they pecked at something, and then, proceeding to the bank some 
two or three yards away, repeated the action, flying away afterwards toa 
rookery near by. I knew the Elvers or Eel-fry were running, and 
suspected the Rooks were carrying them off to their young. To ascertain 
whether this was the case, I crept behind a gorse-bush, and when a Rook 
flew from the edge of the water and settled near me, I jumped up suddenly, 
and, frightening it off, I then examined the place it had hurriedly left, and 
found an Elver wriggling on the grass. This is probably certain proof that 
they were doing what I suspected. — Wm. T. Crawsnay (33, Belgrave 
Square, S.W.). 
Cuckoo Questions.—Following up my remarks on this bird (Cuculus 
canorus), (Zool. 1897, p. 365), I observed as the young Cuckoo grew that 
the foster-parents fed it most assiduously ; but there is one point on which 
emphasis may be placed, and that is the nature of the food supplied to the 
foster-bird. Various species of birds which are called upon to rear Cuckoos 
enjoy a wide range of food and habits ; it therefore falls to Cuckoos to be 
fed by the different food used by their foster-parents. This in turn raises 
* Last year the Bramble-finch was paired with a hen Canary—of his own 
choosing, for they were mixed up with others, Chaffs, &c.—and after coition 
indulged in the full gurgling rattle similar to the Chaff, but a little stronger. 
I may say, however, all the eggs were infertile.—W. T. P. 
