TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
19 
towards him in such a frantic manner that I thought he would be glad of some- 
thing to eat. I accordingly procured an insect and dropped into the web. 
The spider instantly laid hold of it and was soon devouring it. He had scarcely 
got his teeth fixed in it, however, before two other spiders appeared, apparently 
at the top of the web. Both made a step forward, but one retired, and the other 
ran down upon the proprietor of the web, and in a moment drove him out of it 
and began to eat the prey. Scarcely had he started, however, before the other 
spider came down from the top of the web and began to fight with him, and the 
two in their struggles moved away from their prey by a slanting downward track. 
Perceiving this the original proprietor of the web returned and stationed himself 
between the combatants and the insect they were fighting about, and presently, 
when they were both exhausted by their conflict, darted down upon them. One 
immediately dropped out of the web, and the conqueror instantly seized the other. 
They remained in contact for some time and then dropped out of the web, the 
original proprietor sucking the blood of his victim. They tell close to the one that 
had already dropped out of the web, but this individual, apixiirently having done 
enough fighting to satisfy him, left them alone. This little incident of one spider 
winning by sheer strategy a complete victory over two, each of which was more 
than a match lor him in a fair fight, seems worth putting on record. 
American Cuckoo in Dorset. — I send you a note of the occurrence here 
of the “American yellow-billed cuckoo” (Cucnlits ameri<a»us), a rare bird in 
this country, a specimen of which was picked up dead in my garden on Oct. 5. 
The same bird, I believe, had been observed flying about the garden during the 
summer. Morris {History of British Birds') says four examples have occurred in 
this country — one in Cornwall, another in Wales, and two in Ireland ; while in 
Yarrell (History of British Birds, 4th edition, vol. 2, revised and enlarged by 
Alfred Newton, 1876-1882), another in Wales in 1870, and possibly a sixth on 
Lundy Island in 1874, are named. 
I Vest mead, near Bridfort. Wm. Colfox. 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
J. G. T. — We are very sorry, but we simply dare siot risk another outbreak of 
the excited correspondence which would ensue if we were to print your note on the 
sparrow ! 
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