494' CaL of Nat, for London, — Indicator ial Calendar. 



his cherries. After two or three unsuccessful attempts on the part of Mr, 

 Lane, the bird at last fell to my barrel. It was about the size of a starling, 

 and resembled that bird in its manner of standin<T and flying, more than any 

 bird I am acquainted with. The tail was, I think, rather longer, and more 

 like that of a blackbird. The head, and down half the neck, save the billj 

 which was yellow, and a large tuft of feathers on the crown, the colour of 

 the back ; the wings and the tail were a beautiful, glossy, jet black ; the 

 back, breast, and belly (the latter somewhat lighter) were the colour of the 

 Royston crow, but beautifully speckled all over, at regular distances, about 

 1 in. apart, with three small bright red spots placed equidistantly in tri- 

 angles, not in regular lines, but becoming more crowded towards the neck. 

 The tuft on the head was of the same ash colour as the body, but I am 

 uncertain whether this was also speckled or not. This tuft the bird seemed 

 to have the power of raising at pleasure. Its cry resembled that of the 

 water ouzel, and its legs and feet those of the starling. It was quite a rara 

 avis in this country, no one knowing anything of it ; nor could any descrip- 

 tion of it be found in BufFon, Goldsmith, Mavor, or Bewick. Whether this 

 bird was a strayed exotic, or a variety or mule of any indigenous species, I 

 am not sufficiently acquainted with natural history to say. Mule birds, 

 even in their wild state, are sometimes met with. I once saw a perfectly 

 white starling among a flock of them, by the road-side; and a nearly white 

 hen-sparrow, for several years, had her nest within 20 yards of my bed-room 

 window. 



This strange cherry-bird was given, for the purpose of being preserved in 

 the Dublin Museum, to Mr. Healy Button, who happened to be in the 

 neighbourhood, collecting materials for his statistical survey of the county, 

 at the time it was killed. Whether it was preserved and lodged in the 

 museum or not, I have never learned, nor indeed have I ever enquired ; but 

 I should think, from even the imperfect description given above, it might, 

 if in existence, be identified : at any rate, my account may call the attention 

 of some ornithologist, who may be pleased to give his opinion as to what 

 this stranger really was. — Charles Adams Drew. Ennis, June 25. 1828. 



I Art. Y. Calendar of Nature for London. 



The remarkably mild and open weather which has prevailed since our 

 last report, has been attended with its usual consequences, viz. late vege- 

 table productions, as flowers, &c., rarely seen in the months of November 

 and December. 



Early flowers, as the primrose, polyanthus, and Christmas rose, are already 

 in bloom. The song-thrush frequently, and the redbreast constantly, 

 singing. 



Many insects still swafm under hedges j and the blind beetle (Geotrupes 

 stercorarius) is seen on wing every evening. 



The weather, since our last, has only been varied by two or three frosty 

 nights in the early part of November, and a storm of thunder about the 8th 

 instant. — J. M. Dec. 23. 1828. 



Art. VI. Indicatorial Calendar, 



The two ensuing months, as the first of the year, are full of promise, by 

 presenting, on sheltered spots, the opening buds and peeping flowers. If 

 the weather be severe, there will be but few attractions for the naturalist. 

 The entomologist, however, may detect the Hyphydrus ovatus, the Colym- 



