82 Zoology, 



exactly agreeing with either, that 1 think it proves satisfactorily their iden« 

 tity. The glossy green of the upper plumage, the barring of the under 

 wing coverts, and the tail, identify this bird with the green sandpiper, whilst, 

 on the other side, the yellowish spots on the scapulars and tertials, the 

 black rump, the length of the leg, and the web between the outer and 

 middle toes, are characteristic of the wood sandpiper of Montagu. I leave 

 your readers to decide whether this description (which is as accurately 

 given as I am able with the bird before me) is sufficient to identify the two 

 species. — T. G. Clitheroe, September 23. 1831. 



The Middle-spotted Woodpecker of Bewick, — Among the few rare British 

 birds which it has been my good fortune to procure, is a woodpecker 

 which is not described in MontagiCs Dictionary^ although it is mentioned by 

 Bewick as a dubious species under the name of the middle-spotted wood- 

 pecker. I sent Mr. Rennie an account of this bird some time ago, but as I 

 know not whether he ever received my letter, I shall now repeat the descrip- 

 tion : — A pair of these birds had built their nest, or rather hatched their 

 young (for there was no nest), in a hole in a decayed ash, about 20 ft. from 

 the ground : there were two young ones, which I secured, as well as one of 

 the old ones, and they are all now in the possession of a friend of mine, 

 who is a collector of specimens of ornithology. The old one measured 

 9i in. long, and weighed 46i dwts. an hour after it was killed ; the forehead 

 is a dirty buff, and the whole crown of the head a bright crimson ; in other 

 respects it corresponds with the description of the whitwall (Picus major) 

 in Montagu and Bewick ; the young ones have also the bright crimson 

 head, and do not differ very materially from the old ones. — TV G. Clitheroey 

 September 2^. 1831. 



Notes on the Scoter (A^nas nigra Lin., Oidemia nigra Flem.). — I killed 

 one of this species on the Ribble, on September 16. 1831, and. I mention 

 it, on account of the contradiction it gives to some particulars of the 

 description of this bird in Rennie's Montagues Dictionary. There it is 

 stated that " this bird is only seen with us in the winter season, and is 

 never observed to visit our rivers or freshwater lakes." The 16th of Sep- 

 tember, in this year, 1831, could hardly be called winter, and the place 

 where I killed it is forty miles from the sea. — T, G. Clitheroe, Septem- 

 ber 23. 1831. 



Notes on the Turtle Dove, — May 6. Turtle dove (Columba jTurtur) 

 arrived. The poetical character of this innocent and beautiful emigrant 

 excites an interest in its favour even in the breast of the keenest sportsman. 

 They visit us in pairs, and take up their abode in some thick wood. Their 

 unsuspicious temper makes them not over careful in concealing their nest, 

 it being built on a sprayey part of a horizontal branch of a tree, about 8 ft. 

 or 10 ft. from the ground. They lay two eggs, and consequently breed but 

 one pair of young ones ; and this they do but once in the season. It is 

 probable they live many years, as the same spot is chosen for their nestling 

 for a course of years, though it is impossible to ascertain whether it be by 

 the same birds. They are remarkably swift on the wing, and can easily 

 escape from their mortal enemy, the sparrow-hawk, unless taken by sur- 

 prise. Their plaintive call of tur-tur^ tur-tur, is peculiarly pleasing, resem- 

 bling so much the accents and language of affection. Before they leave us 

 for the winter, they congregate in little bands of ten or twelve together, 

 about the end of September, and soon afterwards take their departure to 

 the southward. 



They are particularly useful in this country to the farmer, by living chiefly 

 on the seeds of tine-tare (JS^rvura hirsutum), where it abounds ; and, as 

 this tare never vegetates but in wet seasons, the turtle may be observed 

 searching for the dormant seeds in dry ones. As they are seminivorous 

 birds, it is not likely that they go far to the southward in winter, as the 

 stubbles in the south of Europe will always supply them with food. They 



