NATURAL HISTORY NOTES 
195 
when, no longer able to remain in the cramped position in which I sat, and some- 
what 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 exceedingly 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. 
Gulls. — Is it a common occurrence for gulls to dive from a height? Whilst 
staying at the Land’s End during August, the pilchards arrived and the gulls 
would hover over the water about lOO feet in the air, suddenly dropping like a 
stone with a splash into the sea, coming up a couple of minutes afterwards with 
the coveted fish. 
September ii, 1901. A Rugby .Selbornian. 
Robins. — My esteemed friend, Claude St. John’s, notes in the September 
issue (page 174), are decidedly interesting, and I am obliged to him for his 
valuable observations. A day or two since, I noted four male redbreasts singing 
all within twenty yards of one another. Presently there was a skirmish and they 
chased each other incessantly, but although I observed them for some considerable 
time no battle took place. I have therefore yet to witness a pitched battle, and 
can only conclude that I have been singularly unfortunate as Claude St. John 
observed. 
St. Albans, Herts. W. Percival Westell, M.B.O.N. 
September 12, 1 90 1. 
Gunners or Wraiths ? — A correspondent sends us the following story of 
some birds kept by the late Mr. Francis Stanier, of Peplow Hall, near Market 
Drayton. Mr. Stanier was a millionaire and a well-known philanthropist, and 
was very fond of birds. He had some favourite American and Japanese geese, 
which he fed with his own hands, and which were kept on a pool near the Hall. 
He died about a fortnight ago, and strange to relate, during the last hours of his 
illness these birds, numbering over 100, flew around his bedroom window, beating 
their wings against the glass. They would then fly over the roof of the house, 
and all the time they were uttering a weird, screeching noise. In almost the last 
moments of the squire’s life the whole flock of birds disappeared, and not one of 
them has been seen since. 
Red Mites on Canaries.— M. C. will find “Knight’s Unique Mite 
Destroyer ” an effective application for ridding cage birds of the troublesome red 
mite parasite. It is procured from A. A. Knight, Chemist, Allerton, Bradford, 
and full directions are on the bottles. I have kept birds for thirty years and 
found nothing so efficient for its purpose. If birds will not take a bath with the 
mixture in the water, they should be caught and carefully but well washed in it. 
One or two dips are generally sufficient, and the remedy is perfectly harmless. 
9, Sussex Sijuare, Brighton. Constance Vernon-Bell. 
Augusts, 1901. 
White Robin’s Egg. — In reply to Mr. J. B. Stilwell’s note hereon, I 
found a robin’s nest in an old tin can on May 26, 1901, containing six eggs. Two 
of the eggs were pure white and perfectly fertile. 
The can was in an unfrequented wood, and on my visiting the same to photo- 
graph it on June 2, it was found turned completely round ! It seems quite 
impossible for the birds to have done this themselves, yet being a lonely wood, 
it does not appear that the act was performed by anyone anxious for the 
preservation of the redbreasts ! 
5, Glejtferrie Road, W. Percival Westell, M.B.O.U. 
St. A /bans, Herts, Augusts, 1 901. 
Toads, Tits, Bees. — The remarks from the Pall Mall Gazette quoted by 
“ Tadpole,” are unfortunately true respecting the fondness of toads for bees. 
Here toads are in such numbers that we have to be careful in walking on the 
lawn in the evenings or we crush them underfoot. I am constantly on the watch 
to save my bees from their attacks ; for when once they find they can catch them 
underneath a hive, they take up their station close by, and regularly feast off the 
tired bees as they come laden home. In some cases swarms are decimated by 
