NATURAL HISTORY NOTES, QUERIES, &c. 39 
I kept them for two years, during which time they laid eggs, but did not 
hatch them. I was much from home. They knew me after a year’s absence. 
Having to leave home permanently, I recommended that the cage-door should 
always" be left open, so that they could go in if they liked, and food supplied. I 
was informed that they gradually left ; no doubt they missed my kind caresses, 
which they seemed to thoroughly appreciate. 
With regard to the wild birds in Hyde Park, I may relate that I have been 
feeding them lately with maize, and that they have learned to come to the whistle. 
One day one of the birds flew on to the railings and looked at me. I held out a 
handful of corn, and the bird immediately walked along the rail and took the 
maize out of my hand. They have now mostly left town for the winter in ac- 
cordance with their custom, but I hope to renew their acquaintance in the spring. 
Bayswater, J. Youn'G. 
Wild Life in Tasmania. — We beg to call attention to the first of a very 
interesting series of papers on “ Wild Life in Tasmania ” (p. 22). For this we are 
indebted to Mr. H. S. Dove, F.Z.S., who writes : — “ My object is to present Nature 
as she is, fresh and living, and not from a museum point of view. Most people 
have the opportunity of studying books and stuffed specimens ; only the few can 
observe the quadrupeds, birds, and insects of a country like this, as they are daily 
disporting themselves. It is mainly because I do not think anything of this kind 
has been written on the 'I’asmanian fauna that I venture to think a series of 
such papers might be not unacceptable to English readers.” Such papers as this, 
and the one from New Zealand which we also publish in this number, open up 
new fields of observation, and can hardly fail to prove of special interest to the 
readers of Nature Notes. 
The Death’s Head Moth and Bees (p. 7). — A relation of mine, who 
has travelled much in South Africa, describing his experience when taking a bees’ 
nest that had been found in the Kaap Valley, writes as follows : — “ In the act of 
removing the honeycomb from the nest, my companion made a sudden dab with 
the knife in his hand, killing a death’s head moth just as it emerged from 
amongst the cells ; it was a large specimen, being two inches or more in length. 
He informed me that they are frequently found in bees’ nests, and that he him- 
self once saw no fewer than four in one nest, but he could give no explanation of 
their presence, although he was an intelligent observer. The Boers alw'ays keep 
a sharp look out for these moths in their hives, and in robbing wild bees of their 
honey, fully believing that should one succeed in stinging them (by flying straight 
up and suddenly darting down) the result would be certain death ! ” The bees’ 
nest mentioned was found by following the call of a honey-bird, without any 
faith in his guidance, which, however, proved to be reliable in this instance ; an 
account of it may form the substance of a future “ note” for this Magazine. 
Marian Penning. 
The Parsonage, Henfield. 
Magpies Flocking. — Is it a common thing for magpies to flock together ? 
One day I counted sixteen flying from a tree on which they had been holding a 
conference. They are very plentiful in Cumberland. 
Alston. J. E. Page. 
[We have submitted your question to Dr. R. Bowdler Sharpe, who replies : 
“ Ves, it is not uncommon, but w'hy they do it I do not know. A friend once 
told me that he saw quite forty together once in Hampshire.”] 
Cockcliafers. — Can any of your readers tell me whether cockchafers are 
met with in their locality? Years ago, in the Midlands, they were plentiful in 
the warm evenings, but for many years 1 have not seen or heard of any. 
Alston. J. E. Page. 
