Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 3 (1899).djvu/399

Rh of this species. I am not prepared to say whether the three were all young, or an old bird and two full-grown young as the male, being smaller than the female, might have constituted one of the number. The three all remained quiet, and rose singly when the female ceased chirping and joined them, having apparently accomplished her supposed purpose of removing danger by her ruse.— (Alford, Aberdeen).

Corrections to Notes from North-West Australia.—I shall feel obliged if you will kindly allow me to correct one or two mistakes that I made in my notes (ante, p. 139):—The Collared Parrakeet I mentioned as occurring here proves to be the Yellow-banded (Platycercus zonarius); also somewhat unaccountably I have (p. 142) written Roller (Eurystomus pacificus), whereas it should be Bee-Eater (Merops omatus). The Sandpiper I mentioned, Mr. A.G. Campbell has since identified as the Grey-rumped (Hecteractitis brevipes). He also informs me the Emu-Wren I secured (p. 140) is undoubtedly a new species, and now named Stipiturus ruficeps.— (Point Cloates, N.W. Australia).

Aiding a Young Cuckoo.—A young Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) was found here on the 20th June, and was so numbed with the cold and wet that it was quite unable to fly, or even move about. It had evidently flown from the nest a day or two before when the weather was very dry and exceedingly warm. It was taken indoors and put into a cage. Next morning it revived, and was fairly docile to handle. It seemed intermediate in the colour of the feathers between blue and rufous, the white mark being conspicuous on the head. It perched on the uppermost bars of the cage, and seemed to endure confinement with remarkable tranquillity, showing none of the pugnacity incidental to its kind when in a nest, and partaking of the refreshments placed beside it. I released the bird when it had thoroughly recovered near the spot where it was found, and observed that its powers of flight were decidedly superior to other specimens of the same bird which I had seen at a similar age. I did not notice any particular birds approach as it flew out of sight among the dense cover of broom, but a pair of Twites were very demonstrative in the vicinity, and might perhaps have been the foster-birds. Although the tail was short and not fully developed, this bird was well-grown. The behaviour of the young Cuckoo was remarkable for a wild bird just newly confined, showing none of those points of temerity or agitation which act so detrimentally upon more wild animals in early captivity. We may possibly assume that the young Cuckoo can obtain support from various sources when deprived of the foster-birds, and will live apart from them by taking up with other birds,