35 
NATURAL HISTORY QUERIES. 
69. Unknown Birds. — A pair of birds has haunted my garden for two or 
three years, remaining all the winter, attracted hither, I imagine, by some wood- 
owls that live in a large wired-in enclosure under some old yews. The birds in 
question are like a cuckoo in shape, and appear to have the beak of a cuckoo, 
and to be brown and grey in colour. They have long tails which they spread 
when flying, and their flight is undulating. They make a loud noise both when 
on the wing and perching, like a large clock being wound up, or a policeman’s 
rattle. One day lately a large barn-owl appeared in a tree in the garden, where 
of course he was mobbed by all the little birds, and more than one pair of these 
strange birds appeared, making a deafening rattling noise. Are they likely to 
be the yellow-billed Cuckoo ? 
Surrey. 
[On my consulting two eminent ornithologists they at once pointed out that 
the yellow-billed cuckoo would certainly not return annually or in winter, and 
expressed the opinion that the birds in question must be Missel Thrushes ( Turdus 
viscivorus). — Ed. N.N.] 
70. Insects at the Sea side. — Can any of your readers give me any 
information why earwigs and “summer-buzzers” are particularly prevalent 
during July at a seaside resort on the east coast, and also whether there is any- 
thing that can be used to kill them or prevent them from entering the house? 
131, Earlham Grove , H. Norman Gray. 
Forest Gate, E. 
[I understand that “ summer-buzzers ” are cockchafers ( Melolontha . — 
Ed. N.N.]. 
SELBORNIAN A. 
Sir Mountstuart Grant Duff. — In common with the rest 
of the world of letters we have to lament the death of Sir Mount- 
stuart Grant Duff, which took place on January 12, when he 
was within little more than a month of his 78th year. Distin- 
guished as a politician, an administrator and a diarist, he found 
throughout a great part of his life a pleasing recreation in the 
study of plants. He was one of the earliest contributors to 
Nature Notes, and became a Vice-President of our Society. 
Death of Mr. Harrison Weir. — Bird-fanciers and lovers 
of animals generally will have heard with regret of the death of 
Mr. Harrison Weir, the well-known artist, which occurred on 
January 4. Born in 1824, he became at an early age a member 
of the Institute of Painters in Water Colours, and was one of 
the original staff of the Illustrated London News. He was much 
interested in the work of our Society and visited Selborne with 
us on the centenary commemoration of Gilbert White’s death. 
He was buried at Sevenoaks on the 8th, the funeral being 
attended by a large gathering of friends. 
Purley Beeches. — A renewed effort is being made to raise 
the small balance requisite to secure the preservation of this 
beautiful bit of Surrey woodland. A correspondent of the Times 
recently sent to that Journal a most interesting article on the 
subject, parts of which we reprint here. 
