I42 THE ESSEX NATURALIST; 
formation was found, but the nature of the food would imply 
that this species also has the habit of casting pellets. 
In conclusion, I have to thank those of our Members, especially 
Miss G. Lister, F.L.S., Miss A. Hibbert-Ware, F.L.S., Mr. Miller 
Christy, F.L.S., Mr. W. E. Glegg, F.Z.S.,. Mr, js 
F.L.S., Mr. J. H. Owen and Mr. F. J. Stubbs, who have) kindhy 
supplied me with specimens or with information on this subject. 
NOTES ON THE GIZZARD CONTENTS OF BIRDS 
COLLECTED BY MR: MILLER CHRISTY. 
By ALICE HIBBERT-WARE, F.L.S. 
[Read 25th November, 1922.] 
IGHTEEN months ago, Mr. Thompson asked me to 
examine the gizzard contents of 50 species of birds that 
were shot by Mr. Miller Christy, during the autumn, winter and 
spring seasons, between the years 1876 and 1890. The food 
substances had during all these years been preserved in card- 
board boxes, labelled with the name, date and locality of the 
birds from whose gizzards they had been removed. It was 
my task to investigate the nature of these foods, in order either 
to endorse the investigations of others or possibly here and 
there to throw a little fresh hight on the feeding habits of the 
birds:in question. 
I trust that no apology is needed for the subject. To the 
lover of birds, -every detail connected with their lives must 
have an interest, and nothing is too trivial to record. Besides, 
certain birds are misunderstood, even maligned as to the nature 
of their food, and they frequently pay the price of misunderstand- 
ing with their lives. The cuckoo, for instance, that was sent to 
me as a garden pest by an ignorant gardener, had in its gizzard 
the remains of 57 hairy caterpillars. Had he seen them he 
would surely have refrained from shooting cuckoos in future. 
- This, however, is not the side of the subject on which I mean 
to dwell this afternoon. The point is, here are the gizzard con- 
tents of 50 species of birds. Can such dry dust as this prove to 
be in any way interesting ? Mr. Christy’s collection shows that 
ati can, 
Here, for instance, in a box marked “ kestrel,” are pell>ts 
‘taken from a chalkpit in Sussex in April 1879. . Can you picture 
