Il8 
NATURE NOTES. 
glory at the shrine of the little god of love ; but it is a rare occurrence to see a bird 
make a desperate and persistent onslaught on his own image reflected in a window. 
Such an unequal contest I had the opportunity of observing in our garden a short 
time ago. 
Trustworthy witnesses at work near the spot observed a male blackbird, pro- 
bably a year old, making repeated attacks upon his own shadow which were renewed 
at short intervals from six o’clock in the morning until five in the evening. My 
attention being called to the fact, I saw the bird repeatedly dart at his imaginary 
foe reflected in the window, pecking, and fluttering his wings in the most furious 
manner, until fairly exhausted, when he would return to a near resting place until 
sufficiently refreshed to renew the one-sided combat. Early on the following 
morning he was observed to recommence the attack, but fearing he would persist 
in his mad career until he accomplished his own destruction I placed a blind on 
the inside of the window, which had the desired effect of putting a stop to his 
insane delusion. 
Abhotsjield. J. K. S. 
A Blackbird’s Egg. — The other day, I found in a blackbird’s nest four 
eggs, one of which was no larger than that of a tit. It was identical with the 
other three in colour and shape, but was less than half the size. Is this a very 
unusual thing? M. V. Marchetti. 
[Dr. Bowdler Sharpe informs us that the occurrence is not very uncommon. 
—Ed., N. N.\ 
E. H. H. — The orchis is Serapias laxijlora. The Poteutilla is P. splendeus. 
The other plants are .Saintfoin (Onobrychis saliva) and Kidney Vetch (Anlhyllis 
Vithieraria. Mr. Arthur Bennett, who has made a special study of Orobanches, 
says : “ The stout one with the long spike is the purple form of O. minor. The 
other is O. crtienla, Bert., which is very like our 0 . caryopliyllea, but has yellow 
stigmas, not purple. 
J. H. — We shall be glad of such a list. 
M. E. V. — Hayward’s Botanists Pocket-book may perhaps suit y'ou. 
R. C. C. — It is a sedge, Carex pracox. 
C. H. — We have submitted your queries to Mr. Robert Holland, who has 
kindly promised to reply to them in the form of an article, the subject being one 
of considerable interest. 
J. M. W. — Was it not a chaffinch? 
A. B. — The plant, having been sent to the Society’s office instead of to the 
Editor in accordance with the directions given in every number of Nature Notes, 
was delayed in transit, and arrived in an undeterminable condition. We are not 
easily discouraged, but we are beginning to despair of making our readers under- 
stand that all matters relating to the Society, as well as all subscriptions, should be 
sent to the Secretary, 9, Adam Street, Adelphi, Lo.n'DON, W.C. : while coith-ibu- 
tions for NA PURE NOTES, and specinmis for determination should be addressed 
to The Editor, 18, West Square, London, S.E. 
ANNUAL MEETING OF THE SELBORNE SOCIETY. 
The annual general meeting was held on May 4th, 1892, at 9, Adam Street, 
W.C., when Mr. Otter was elected to the chair. 
The report of the Council was as follows : — 
“ The Council of the Selborne Society begs leave to present to the members 
its report for the year ending May' ist, 1892. 
“ New branches have been formed at Sutton, in Surrey, of which Mr. R. Hill 
Blades is secretary ; at Malden, of which the Rev. F. H. Fowler is secretary ; at 
Cambridge, of which Mr. F. A. Hort, of Emanuel College, is secretary ; and for 
the neighbourhood of Worthing, entitled ‘ the Richard Jefferies branch,’ of which 
Miss H. Urlin is secretary. 
