Retrospective Criticism, ISl 



was not one of our troop ; for it flew alone, took no notice of 

 the breeding places, passed up our valley, and disappeared. 

 Our own birds were first seen May 5th. The swift grasps 

 with its claws, in opposing pairs ; not bending the toes, but 

 straightening them, and bending the sharp nails very firmly 

 under, just in the manner, in the latter respect, I have observed 

 the buzzard to do ; and the grasp of the swift is even stronger, 

 in proportion to its size, than that of the bird of prey. 

 Placed in a cage, the swift roosted upright against the side, 

 holding by the wires. It ran along in all directions, and about 

 the top, with its back downward, with the wings partly* ex- 

 panded. Its progress was very materially aided by the chin, 

 which it fixed on the wires or bars, to lift itself forward ; and 

 without this, the feet alone were not adequate to climbingi 

 The mandibles were not employed for this purpose. The 

 individual here spoken of, flew through an open window into 

 a house, and pitched on a boy's head ; from whence it ^\¥A% 

 taken without injury. Mr. C. Jackson informs me, ^ha^t; 

 according to his observations, in proportion to its sizte, fehe 

 swift has a thicker skin than any other of our birds ; and th^t 

 land birds of cold climates have thinner skins, and more fat^ 

 than those of warmer regions. — Jonathan Couch, Jufy^^^ 

 1832. i «' *'^ ^^ i'* ti^i 



The Creeper {Certhia familidris L.) it is, and not fh^Ni^t' 

 hatch (Sitta europce^a L.), which associates with the Titmice nk 

 Winter, in Lancashire, — J. D. gives me (p. ^SQ.) no ^te^l£ 

 for accuracy of observation, in his supposing I could possibly 

 mistake the nuthatch for the creeper, two birds so very d\§- 

 tinct in size, shape, and colour. The nuthatch does not at 8*fl 

 occur in this part, and I doubt if in any part, of Lancashi^V 

 but the creeper is very common, and is a hrird with the ti^Sits 

 and peculiar call of which I have been acquainted fthm^ikf 

 childhood. Your valuable correspondent Mr. Bre#, ^ w!i*6 

 combines with accurate and extensive information itfn lamialrie 

 and pleasant manner of communicating it, has not, I perceiV€ 

 by p. 489., witnessed the creeper's associating with ithe- tJti 

 mice in winter; at which I am rather surprised, and think^Mf 

 the creepers are numerous in his neighbourhood, he ^i'ill 

 hereafter not fail to perceive them among the small floiJkfs'QP 

 titmice which associate through the winter. There are'^* V^ 

 Sever^al Birds which appear common enough in the South that 

 are not met with here {about Clitheroe, Lancashire^. — Amdil^* 

 these are the bunting (Emberiza Miliaria), the nightingale, 

 the woodlark, the nuthatch, the.wryneck, and seveM^of ihl? 

 warblers ; and I shall feel particularly obliged to'Jany coffe*^ 

 spp^dent who will supply .any ppinioiiidr ,informitian'OifF!lM 

 Vol. V. — No. 30. 3 b 



