NATURE NOTES 
138 
a jerk and quite disengaged it from the nest. It remained in this situation for a 
short time, feeling about with the extremity of its wings as if to be convinced 
whether the business was properly executed, and then dropped into the nest 
again. With these (the extremities of its wings) I have often seen it examine, 
as it were, an egg and nestling before it began its operations ; and the nice 
sensibility which these parts appeared to possess seemed sufficiently to compensate 
the want of sight which as yet it was destitute of. I afterwards put in an egg, 
and this by a similar process was conveyed to the edge of the nest and thrown 
out. These experiments I have since repeated several times in different nests 
and have always found the young cuckoo disposed to act in the same manner.” 
On June 27, 1787, two cuckoos’ eggs and one hedge-sparrow’s were hatched 
in a nest under Jenner’s notice, one hedge-sparrow’s egg remaining unhatched. 
In a few hours a contest began between the two cuckoos, and was undetermined 
till the next afternoon, when one, rather larger, turned out the other, the young 
hedge-sparrow, and the egg. Each cuckoo alternately appeared to have the 
advantage, carrying the other nearly to the top of the nest, and then sinking 
down exhausted. 
On July 9, 1787, a young cuckoo in a nest was confined, so that it could not 
turn out its fellow nestlings. It incessantly made attempts to do so. This nest 
was plundered, so the issue of the experiment could not be noted. 
Mrs. Blackburn’s account of the process of ejectment agrees in its details to 
a high degree with Jenner’s. 
There is much else about cuckoos in Jenner’s paper of great interest. It was 
written at the request of John Hunter, and read before the Royal Society. It 
bears strong internal marks of authenticity, and can only be impugned as to essen- 
tials at the cost of Jenner’s veracity. Subsequent corroboration may now restore 
it to credit as a remarkable and instructive contribution to our knowledge of the 
species. 
J. L. Otter. 
Insectivorous Birds and the Cabbage White. — Noticing some time 
back the question as to the diminution or otherwise in the numbers of the 
cabbage butterfly, I can say from my experience that they flourish in our district 
and in our garden. The Pieris hrassica was abundant last year and the previous 
year, and is now plentiful, flying about the garden. Tall nasturtiums suffered 
in the year 1897. Next year, those plants being few, they throve upon another 
plant of the genus ( Tropaobnn aduncum), the canary creeper. In each case, want- 
ing some of the caterpillars for the chrysalis state, I was in no hurry to collect 
them, knowing they would not be molested by the insectivorous birds, of which 
an abundance frequent the garden. From actual trials I know neither the robin 
nor the skylark will eat them, and as for the sparrows, they prefer stealing the 
poultry food, doing great mischief in the garden on the pinks, carnations, and 
other plants of the genus Dianthus. In the latter case they devoured a pot full 
of choice seedlings on a first-floor window-sill, entering into the window also to 
eat another pot-full, though paying assiduous attention to the kitchen waste in 
the same alley. With the sweet peas it is a r.ace as to whom the ripe seeds shall 
belong. The victory is almost complete with the sparrow. This is only a 
portion of the mischief they do. Earwigs may lie quietly in Godetias until I pick 
them out, yet I should have thought the birds’ sight w'as sharper than mine, but 
the will is wanting. 
Elstree, June <), 1899. II. J. B. 
Fernwebs, as they aie locally called, are very plentiful just now on and 
about Dartmoor. They are easily caught in the hand as they fly amongst grass 
and fern, and are a very deadly bait for trout. Starlings during the past few days 
have been about in flocks picking them up. I enclose specimens of this small, 
reddish-brown beetle, and should be glad to know its proper name, which I have 
never heard. Some years it does not put in an appearance at all ; but when it 
does, local fishermen rejoice. Fernwebs are looked for as the fronds of the bracken 
open out. I think the artificial fly corresponding is the Red Balnier with black 
head. The common cockchafer is here known as the oakweb. 
Creaher, Gidley, Dartmoor, June 15, 1899. GlI.ES A. Daureny. 
[Fern-webs is one of several popular names, such as field-chafer, fern-shaw 
beetle, &c., for Phylloperlha /tort kola, a near ally of the common cock-chafer, 
Melolontha vulgaris. — El). N.N.\ 
