26d . Natural History in the Efiglish Counties. 



14 bz. Many good specimens of agate have been found on this coast, but 

 this, of which the above is a brief description, is said to be by far the most 

 valuable —R. C. T, 



Worcestershire. 



FlocJcs of Crossbills near Worcester. — Sir, Observing in the Magazine 

 of Natural History an account, by a Worcester correspondent, of flocks of 

 crossbills visiting Cothoridge, near Worcester, each spring and autumn, 

 I am induced to send you the following account of the case from my own 

 observation. In the autumn of 1821, being at Cothoridge, I was aroused 

 early one morning by the information that a large flock of crossbills was 

 feeding in a grove of firs near the house. After watching them for some 

 time, with a gun I procured fifteen specimens, out of which only two were 

 in full feather, the breasts and backs of the others being nearly bare. After 

 this they used to visit the same spot pretty regularly twice a day. The 

 males varied very much in colour, some being of a deeper red, and others 

 inclining rather more to yellow, particularly on the tail coverts, and being 

 a little mottled with yellow upon the breast and back. The Weymouth 

 pine was their particular favourite ; indeed I scarcely ever observed them 

 on any other tree, except the sentinel, ^ho regularly took his station on 

 the top of a spruce fir, which happened to be the highest in the immediate 

 neighbourhood of their haunt. Their note or call very much resembled 

 the chirping of a chicken. They continued their visits (though the flock 

 certainly gradually diminished) during great part of the winter ; and one 

 pair remained long after the rest had left, being continually seen in February 

 and the beginning of March, 1822. Crossbills, though occasional visitants 

 there, had not been seen at Cothoridge for several years previous to the 

 autumn of 1821, nor have they ever been seen there since that time. 



The lesser spotted woodpecker, which has been once or twice referred to 

 in the Magazine of Natural History as very rare, is by no means an un- 

 common bird at Cothoridge ; I have procured two or three specimens there 

 and seen several others. I have also observed it in Whaddon Chase, Bucks, 

 and in Bradgate Park, Leicestershire ; from the woods in which neighbour, 

 hood, I last year procured a specimen of the middle-spotted woodpecker- 

 I believe, a much scarcer bird, and also a pair of pied blackbirds (if they 

 may be so called). Of the largest spotted woodpecker I procured two 

 specimens at Cothoridge; I have also seen it in Warwickshire and in 

 Whaddon Chase. A few days ago I preserved a fine specimen of the 

 chatterer, which was killed in a garden near Knighton, Radnorshire. I 

 am, Sir, yours, &c. — J, W, Ludlow, March 15. 1829. 



Warwickshire. 



The present Season strikes me as remarkably backward; but yet we have 

 with us the redstart, blackcap, whitethroat, swallows, and martens. The 

 first (the redstart) appeared April 7., which is rather early. Papilio rapae 

 (or mfetra, as they now call it), i. e. the pale variety, appeared April 17.; 

 on which day, also, my eyes and ears were gratified by the first sight and 

 song of a swallow. This is to me a highly interesting period of the year : 

 some fresh and pleasing appearance of nature is every day presenting itself. 

 — W. T. B. April 25. 1829. 



Varieties of Plants found in Warwickshire. — To the list of plants varying 

 with white flowers, by theRev.W.T.Bree (Vol. I. p. 392, 593.) may be added 

 the following, which have been observed by myself: — Veronica agrestis, in 

 a garden at Warwick. Fritillaria meleagris, in a meadow by the road-side, 

 opposite to Wroxall Abbey. Zamium purpureum, in a garden at Warwick. 

 Carduus acanthoides, on the top of the hill above the bank-croft, Hamp- 

 ton Lucy. 



