NATURAL HISTORY NOTES 
157 
coops and swallow a pheasant a few days old. As the duck indulged in a similar 
meal at each visit it had to be destroyed. I have seen common ducks eat mice 
by the dozen after a rick has been threshed, but have not hitherto known any of 
their tribe indulge in an appetite for live birds. 
On the same estate an Indian cow was seen to eat a pheasant nearly the size 
of a partridge, with such evident relish as to lead to the belief she had often done 
the same before. 
Market Weston, Thetford. EDMUND Thos. Daubeny. 
J^une, 1901. 
Fowls eating Shrews. — A cat in the village is somewhat varied in her 
captures, which she places on her owner’s doorstep. They consist of birds, rats, 
long-tailed field mice, short-tailed field mice, shrews, moles, stoats and weasels. 
She eats the birds, rats and short-tailed field mice only. The fowls make a meal 
off the shrews, and, together, perhaps, with snakes, are the only creatures, as far as 
I know, that will feast off these animals. Kestrels and owls kill shrews, but, I 
believe, do not eat them. The house mouse is a dainty morsel to a barn-door 
fowl. 
Market Weston, Thetford. Edmund Thos. Daubeny. 
June, 1901. 
Greenfinch taking Possession of Nest of Chaffinch. — The Rev. 
E. Savory, of Bracknell, sends me details of a curious occurrence in the bird 
world. A chaffinch built its nest in a bush in a garden in Somersetshire close to 
the path, and was closely observed building every day. The nest was duly com- 
pleted with the usual care and elegance which characterises the home of this 
sprightly finch, when to the surprise of the owners of the garden, they found a 
greenfinch laying eggs in the nest and duly hatching its young. 
5, Glenferrie Road, W. PerCIVAL Westell, M. B.O.U. 
St. Albans, Herts, 
filly 5, 1901. 
White Robin’s Egg. — Last Sunday I found a robin’s nest in a hole left for 
a scaffolding pole in the wall of a house in course of construction. In the nest was 
one pearl-white egg, on which the robin was sitting. Being anxious to take the 
egg before Monday, in case the workmen, returning on that day, should find the 
nest and destroy it, at the same time wishing that the bird should go on sitting, 
in case it might lay another white egg, I filled an old robin’s egg, taken two years 
ago, with warm water, sealed the hole with candle grease, and when dusk, substi- 
tuted the warm water egg for the white one. Although I had to drive the bird 
off the nest to do this she returned immediately afterwards, and has sat closely 
since. On blowing the white egg I found it was addled, and had a very thin 
shell. 
I cannot see in any natural history book that a white robin’s egg has ever 
been found before. It would be interesting to know if any of your readers have 
heard of one. 
June 21, 1901. J. B. Stilwei.l. 
[Eggs of this and many other species occur not uncommonly without pigment. 
—Ed. N . H .] 
Tame Kingfishers. — When fishing at Barton Mills last week, I had a 
somewhat curious experience, and one which, I think, has fallen to the lot of but 
few anglers. I was sitting on a garden seat on the bank of the Tuddenham 
stream. The weather was warm, and fish were shy, and I had fallen into a semi- 
somnolent state when a kingfisher alighted upon my rod. In a few minutes it 
was joined by a second bird of the same species. The two kingfishers preened 
and plumed themselves, and then dived once or twice in quest of fish, returning 
again to their perch on my fishing rod. This continued for about half an hour, 
when, no longer able to remain in the cramped position in which I sat, and 
somewhat dazed with the heat, I raised my rod aloft. The pretty little birds 
displayed some reluctance in quitting their perch, and for my part I was ex- 
ceedingly sorry to disturb my pretty little companions. The kingfisher is one of 
the shyest of birds, and I have never before known birds of this species to display 
such fearlessness in the presence of mankind. 
Newmarket. 
William Howlett. 
