Peacock : Co-operation of Birds in Nesting. 



that it is chiefly when they have to escape from harmful 

 exposure that they descend; and the same is the case, doubt- 

 less, with land-planarians, for the latter animals, even more 

 distinctly than slug's, are moisture- and shade-loving" creatures, 

 living' much under cover, and soon succumbing to unavoidable 

 exposure. At certain times, however, chiefly at nig-ht, many 

 land-planarians creep to moderate heights on herbage, tree 

 trunks, fences, etc., in which positions they must occasionally be 

 surprised by the appearance of day-light or sunshine, or by the 

 disappearance of moisture from the atmosphere, and it is then, 

 doubtless, that they usually crawl from their supports. The 

 slime-thread which may now be formed may serve a useful 

 purpose in breaking the animal's fall, or in enabling it, if cover 

 be near at hand, to escape in safety without falling. One may 

 doubt, however, whether the advantage thus gained is of much 

 importance ; and the writer is inclined to regard the so-called 

 spinning faculty of planarians (and of slugs) as little more than 

 an accidental circumstance, arising out of the possession, for 

 ordinary locomotion, of a continuous supply of tenacious mucus. 



NOTE— ORNITHOLOGY. 



Co-operation of Birds in Nesting.— In the season of 1893, as soon 

 as the old pair of Rooks (Corvus fntgilegus) that had built their nest in 

 a pear tree down at the Warp Farm, Bottesford Moors (Div. 2), had reared 

 their brood and taken them a-field, a Wild Duck {Anas boschas) took 

 possession of the deserted nest. She laid nine egg's, but these were taken 

 and sent to the South of England to be incubated under a tame duck. 

 Since then a clutch of young' Starlings [Sturnus vulgaris) have been reared 

 from a nest situated in the lower part of the bundle of sticks that formed 

 the foundation of the nest. Two lots of Sparrows (Passer dotnesticus) have 

 been reared within the bounds of the original framework. But (19th July) 

 this is not all, for now a pair of Kestrels (Ttnnunculus tinrtunculus) have 

 taken a lease of the house for a time, and are busy rearing- a clutch of four 

 young ones. Some more sparrows may take to it later, if Mr. and Mrs. K. 

 leave the place when their fledglings can fly. Co-operation amongst game 

 birds and domestic poultry is no uncommon thing. I have often known 

 Hens and Pheasant. Guinea-fowl and Pheasant, Red-legged Partridge 

 and Pheasant, Common and Red-logged Partridge, Red-legged Partridge 

 and Guinea-fowl, Common Partridge and Guinea-fowl nest together; 

 sometimes one hen bird, sometimes the other would do the incubating, 

 but seldom both. On one occasion I found a nest (we were mowing 

 a meadow) that contained in all 34 eggs — Pheasant, 7; Guinea-fowl, 19; 

 Red-legged Partridge, 8. The Partridge was sitting on some of these 

 eggs, but, needless to state, she could not cover one half the quantity that 

 Were left to her care. In 1894 one ot my Guinea-fowls and a French 

 Partridge nested in conjunction; both birds sat and hatched out the eggs. 

 Some ot" the Guinea-fowl were taken along- with the Partridge ami some of 

 the Partridge followed the Guinea-fowl ; all the youngsters got to By. The 

 Guinea-fowl were shot the following March ; they were quite wild and 

 roosted in the trees along with Pheasants. — Max Pkacock, Bottesford. 

 Lincolnshire, ioth July 1900. 



1900 October i. 



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