( 315 ) 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



AVE S. 



Where are our Nuthatches ? — Referring to Mr. Warde Fowler's 

 query (ante, p. 155), it has occurred to me that the Starling may have 

 had something to do with the falling-off in the number of Nuthatches. 

 I simply make the suggestion. In this district an increasing number 

 of old Woodpeckers' holes are used by Starlings in the nesting season, 

 and holes once used by the Nuthatch are now, and have been for 

 several years past, in the possession of the Starling, which is un- 

 doubtedly an increasing species here. I cannot confidently say that 

 any noticeable decrease has taken place in the number of Nuthatches 

 in this part of Sussex, but if there is any difference then I think it 

 must be said that there are fewer than there were ten years ago. A 

 pair occupied one of my nesting-boxes last year, but my boxes seldom 

 exceed half a dozen in number. — Robert Morris (Uckfield, Sussex). 



A White Chaffinch. — On several occasions, about the middle of last 

 July, amongst the various kinds of birds partaking of the banquets 

 of bread-crumbs daily provided for them, close to the house, was a 

 white Chaffinch. Being within a few yards of the window from 

 which it was seen it could easily be identified. On mentioning the 

 incident to a neighbour, he informed me that he had seen it, in like 

 manner, near his house. — J. Rose (10, King's Road, Binstead, Isle 

 of Wight). 



[Mr. Dresser, in his 'Man. Pal. Birds,' says of this bird: " Occa- 

 sional varieties are pale blue, faintly marked with purple, and finely 

 spotted with dark brown." — Ed.] 



Hoopoe in Northamptonshire. — In the first week in May, 1908, a 

 Hoopoe (Upitpa cpops) was shot in the south-west corner of North- 

 amptonshire by a man who had no idea what it was, and said it was 

 feeding with his fowls ! — O. V. Aplin (Bloxham, Oxon). 



Cormorant in Warwickshire. — A Cormorant (Plialacrocovax carbo), 

 in immature plumage (a bird of the year, I think), was shot on a fish- 

 pond in South Warwickshire, less than a mile from the Oxon boundary, 

 on Sept. 8th, 1908, and sent to me for identification. Its total length 



