Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 3 (1899).djvu/105

Rh county in the middle of August last, either at Hayling Island, the Isle of Wight, or flying across the sea from one to the other; and that the drum-major at Eastney Barracks told me that they could always be seen all the year round. When I pointed one out to him, not twenty yards distant, he remarked, "We call those Isle of Wight Parsons"; and others confirmed this statement. I am a young ornithologist, and only too pleased to be corrected in any statements I may make, and I am much indebted to Mr. Headley for pointing out the error I made in regard to the Scoter's flight. Those I saw did fly rapidly, and it was a grave slip on my part to say they lazily winged their way. The word regularly should have been substituted for lazily.— (5, Glenferrie Road, St. Albans).

Late Stay of Land-Rail.— On Dec. 3rd I had a freshly-killed specimen of the Land-Rail (Crex pratensis) brought to me. On dissection it proved to be a female, and showed no signs of having suffered any injury which might have prevented it migrating at the usual time.— (44, Huntriss Row, Scarborough).

Nesting Habits of the Moorhen (Zool. Dec. 1898, p. 506; ante, p. 30).—We are well aware that birds differ somewhat in their habits in different localities, but this is often an adaptation to surroundings. My experience with regard to the species in question (Gallinula chloropus) is that it seldom, if ever, covers its eggs on leaving the nest, at least in this neighbourhood. In my birdsnesting days I have seen many nests and eggs of the bird, as I sometimes had the privilege of boating upon some three or four miles of the river Avon, which, being strictly "preserved," was a fine nursery for the reed-loving species, and I do not recollect ever finding a nest in which the eggs were even partially covered, except perhaps where the parent bird, alarmed at my near approach, had scuttled off, and in her haste had drawn a promiscuous reed across her eggs, with no attempt at concealment; indeed, the number of eggs in the nest was often discovered before a very near approach, and this notwithstanding the approximate hue of the ground colour of the eggs and the reeds of which the nest was made; it often seemed to me the similarity in colour of nest and eggs were protective items not to be overlooked. On one occasion, in particular, I remember finding a large branch of a tree which, during the winter flood, had been washed down and stranded in the very midst of a shallow and lagoon-like part of the river; on a projecting portion of this branch, standing up some two feet out of the water, the decaying reeds, &c, had accumulated, and on the top of it was a Moorhen's nest quite exposed, and the eggs were easily detected at a distance, as on account of the shallowness of the water at the time it was with difficulty the punt could be got to the spot; and I may Zool. 4th ser. vol. III., February, 1899.