Zoology. 431 



be thought worthy of being inserted in your Magazine, I shall be happy 

 that I have communicated them to vou. I am. Sir, &c. — William Scales, 

 Stamford Hill, April 13. 1831. 



Monstrous Lamb. — Last week, a ewe sheep, the property of Mr. Connop 

 of Fownhope, in Herefordshire, yeaned a lamb with a perfectly formed 

 mouth within the natural one. As it could not take nutriment, it was de- 

 stroyed. (Hereford Journal^ June 22. 183 L) 



Unusual Appearance of the Redstart. — Having lately spent a few months 

 at Ramsgate, in the Isle of Thanet, a circumstance rather contrary to the 

 common course of nature came under my observation. I was walking by 

 the sea-side on the 1st of December last, with my gun, when, in passing a 

 breach in the cliff, or rather a road cut through it, called Dumpton Stairs, 

 a small bird flew from a projection in the cliff's side, and picked up some- 

 thing from off the sands, returning to another projecting crag a little farther 

 on. At first sight I had nearly mistaken it for a redbreast ; but, as it seemed 

 to move with greater activity in returning to its perch than is usual with 

 the robin, I approached as near as possible, in order to discover what spe- 

 cies it might be ; and on viewing it through my pocket spy-glass, I saw, by 

 the motion and colour of its tail, that it was a female redstart (Sylvia 

 Phoenicurus), which very much surprised me, as the season was so far 

 advanced. The weather had previously been, upon the whole, rather mild, 

 and flies were at times numerous ; but I cannot account for its staying so 

 long after the usual period of migration, which is about the end of Sep- 

 tember. In hopes of ascertaining what it had fed upon, as well as with a 

 view to preserve it (being a rara avis at this season), I followed and shot 

 at it, but missed my aim. On the 23d of December, walking under the 

 same cliff, I observed it again (at least, in all probability, the same) near 

 the spot where I first found it. A slight snow-storm fell in the morning, 

 and the day was cold. I saw it again on Christmas-day, which was very 

 cold, with a severe frost and strong north-west wind. I watched its motions 

 for some time : it appeared to possess its usual activity, but seemed rather 

 more tame, and permitted me to approach very near. It would fly down 

 on the sands, pick something up, and return to the cliff's side again ; shak- 

 ing its tail in the usual manner, and seeming to be but little affected by the 

 severity of the weather. How this little summer visitant is supported 

 during so cold a season, when the greater part, if not all, of its insect food 

 must be in a torpid or hidden state, is to me very strange. Perhaps some 

 of your more experienced correspondents may be able, in some measure, 

 to account for it. — T. G. Chipping Norton, April 1. 1831. 



Late Appearance of the Swift, Swallow, and Marten. — On reference to 

 my journal, I find that I saw the swift so late as the 27th of September : 

 the swallow on the 10th and 12th of November; and a person told me he 

 saw a swallow fly past him, while shooting in the marshes, on the 24th of 

 November : the marten on the 29th of October and 3d of November ; 

 and on the 18th of November, which was a remarkably fine day, I saw two 

 martens flying to and fro beside the chalky cliff, on which the sun shone 

 brilliantly and warmly. These are late instances, compared with those 

 mentioned in the Natural History of Selborne. — Id. 



On Falconry. — In June, 1825, happening to be in Norfolk, I became an 

 eye-witness to that most ancient and now very rare sport of falconry ; and 

 I now relate what I actually saw, and which was to me most novel and 

 entertaining. The place fixed upon for the spot was in the intermediate 

 country between the fens and the heronry, and in the afternoon of the day, 

 with the wind blowing towards the heronry. There were four couple of 

 casts of the female Peregrine falcon carried by a man to the ground, upon 

 an oblong kind of frame padded with leather, on which the falcons 

 perched, and were fastened to the perch by a thong of leather. Each bird 

 had a small bell on one leg, and a leather hood, with an oblong piece of 

 scarlet cloth stitched into it over each eye, surmounted with a plume of 



