NATURAL HISTORY NOTES AND QUERIES. 117 
a half-starved condition. He never became perfectly tame, and would not let 
himself afterwards be caught by hand if he could avoid it, though now and then 
I contrived to surprise him, and managed to catch him. He was daily allowed 
out of his cage from breaUfast-time to dusk, and would generally, when we were 
alone, come down on the table for crumbs which were always put for him at meal- 
times, but if any stranger happened to be present he would not come down. He 
never seemed willing to go out of the room, and try to escape, though the door 
was frequently left open when no one was in the room. His favourite perch was 
on the top of a picture-frame which projected a little way from the wall, being 
hung over another picture ; and he would settle and go to sleep on the window- 
shutters, which did not quite reach to the top of the window. At length he became 
quite fat, and would come almost close to us when on the table, but avoided being 
touched. He remained with us fourteen months. Having been assured by 
several persons, some of whom had kept pigeons, that if we gave him his liberty 
(of which we were sorry to deprive him) he would come back again, the cage was 
hung up in the garden with the door open. For several days this was done with- 
out the bird attempting to leave the cage. But on the 22nd of April last a man 
coming suddenly close up to the cage, I believe frightened the poor bird ; for he 
at once escaped, soared up above the houses, and flew away, and, to our great 
regret, we have seen him no more. Robert Simpson. 
IVood Green. 
Cleaning Birds. — I should be glad to know what is the best way of clean- 
ing birds. I have a German canary which I have repeatedly put into water and 
given baths, but it comes out just as black as when I put him in. M. V. \V. 
Daily Flight of Rooks (p. 57). — As to the daily flight of rooks from North 
London, in a southerly direction, there is little doubt that they are flying to the 
cultivated lands to the south of Richmond Park. Large numbers roost here, an<l 
in the winter season they may be seen on the grass. My curiosity was aroused 
as to the nature of their food, the popular idea being that they feed on grubs or 
earth worms of some sort. On examination I find they are in quest of the 
root of the tormentil. Although the greater part of this root is woody and 
dry, there are parts of it soft, resembling a pea, and of an astringent flavour. 
This particular part of the root the rooks appear to relish extremely, making 
great havoc among the grass to obtain it. M. A. S. 
Land-Rail. — Is that formerly well-known bird the land-rail or corn crake 
disappearing from some parts of the country? I have not heard its harsh grating 
note in our fields and meadows since 1890. In Oxfordshire it is said that when 
these birds are more than usually noisy and numerous a hard winter will follow. 
Fyjield, Abingdon. W. 11. W.vrner. 
Curious Behaviour of a Great-Tit (p. 96).— This was no doubt actuated 
by the bird’s belief that his own image reflected in the glass window was his lost 
mate in person. A weasel lately made away with the wives of two fantail 
pigeons belonging to our dove-cote. The widowers, for some weeks past, sought 
consrjlation in the attic windows of the house. They sat on the window-sills all 
day long, cooing and bowing and flirting with their reflections in the glass. But 
for this all-engrossing occupation, I hardly know how the poor pigeons would 
have endured their bereavement. The noise of this empty wooing, which began 
at daybreak, and continued until evening, became at last unbearable. Two new 
brides were sought and found for the widowed birds, and the renewal of their 
domestic happiness has brought relief and quietness to ourselves. 
E. V. B. 
Sparrotv Tapping at Window. — Abour six weeks ago we observed a 
hen-sparrow fluttering outside, and continually lapping against the panes of a 
small window overlooking an upstairs corridor. This was continued day after 
day, the bird coming as early as 6.30 a.m., and remaining until dusk. Our boys 
searched closely, but no nest could be found, and we concluded that it was a 
solitary bird. After some time one of our boys opened the little window, and 
placed a toy bird just within, which had the desired effect of frightening the 
sparrow, but she soon re-appeared at another small window close by, and con- 
