Page:The Zoologist, 3rd series, vol 1 (1877).djvu/523

Rh of months in search of those rare and interesting fossils of the Skiddaw Slate, the son of the person with whom I was staying informed me that two days previously he had discovered a Cuckoo, just hatched, in a Meadow Pipit's nest along with three young pipits. As I was very desirous to procure a Cuckoo, in order to observe its habits, I had it taken from the nest, when about eight days old, and placed in a large cage, where I also put a nest of Blackbirds of the same age. The latter in a few days got too quickly advanced, in proportion to the Cuckoo, for my purpose, and I therefore replaced them with a brood of Thrushes about a week younger. These in a day or two I reduced to two in number, finding that the parent, as I wished, had discovered them. I then left but one, and about ten days later T was surprised at seeing it pick up a piece of hard-boiled egg and feed the Cuckoo with it as it sat upon a perch, on which it had to hop for the purpose. The feeding was observed by others besides myself and continued for some days until the Thrush unfortunately escaped, and about a week afterwards the Cuckoo died. Was this action on the part of the young Thrush prompted by natural instinct, or was it mere imitation of its parent? I am inclined to believe the latter.— (Castle Connor, Ballina, Co. Mayo).

—It may interest the Rev. Murray A. Mathew to hear that I found the Corn Crake very plentiful in the island of Tiree, on the west coast of Scotland, while on a short visit there in May last. Their "crake, crake" was to be heard in every direction on this island, fourteen miles by three in extent. The keeper told me they had been very numerous last year. I also heard them several times in the neighbourhood of Greenock at the end of the month. My brother, while shooting near Penrith, Cumberland, came across a good many. Perhaps the bird is changing its habitat and gradually moving northward. It would be interesting to hear whether this has been noticed by others in the "North Countrie." I can quite corroborate Mr. H.T. Wharton as to the disappearance of the bird from the north-west district of Middlesex. It used to be very common in the grass-fields about Hampstead and Hendon, but the last time I heard it was on the 19th April, 1875.— (Oak Hill Park, Hampstead).

—On the 12th October Mr. Vingoe showed me a bird of the year of this species, which was shot on some marshy ground near the Marazion Station of the West Cornwall Railway, very near the spot where some years since the Yellowshank Sandpiper was shot. This is the third example of this small Gallinule that has been obtained in this neighbourhood. I may add it was shot by the eldest son of the Rev. D. Harrison, the Rector of the parish adjoining. In the two first specimens the adult character of the birds is shown by the pervading tint of ash-blue on the chin, breast and belly. In the present specimen