

Birds. 151 



A pied flycatcher (Muscicapa luctuosa) was shot, in the 

 parish of Stoke Nayland, on the 7th of September. It was 

 in company with several of the spotted species. I know 

 several instances of its being met with in the same vicinity, 

 both spring and autumn ; but never heard of its remaining to 

 breed. — J. D. Hoy. Stoke Nayland, Suffolk, Nov. 20. 1832. 



The Cirl Bunting (Ember iza Cirlus L.) at East Garston in 

 Berkshire. I have observed several of them here, where my 

 attention had been first drawn to them by their peculiar note; 

 and I was fortunate enough to procure a pair of them, together 

 with their nest and two eggs, one of which I have since pre- 

 sented to Constantine Strickland, Esq., of Lincoln College, 

 Oxford. — Francis Orpen Morris. Charmouth, Dorset, Sept. 

 1832. 



The Whinchat (Saxicola Bubetra Bechstein) at Killaloe in 

 Ireland. — Montagu, in his Ornithological Dictionary, men- 

 tions that the whinchat is scarce in the west of England ; and 

 from that circumstance imagines that, in their migrations, they 

 enter by the east of England. There are, however, a good 

 many whinchats here still farther west. — T. K. Killaloe, 

 Sept. 21. 1832. 



Notices on a few rarer Birds observed about the Vale of Al~ 

 ford, Aberdeenshire. — The Siskin or Aberdevine (Carduelis 

 >Spinus Cuvier) is generally considered one of our irregular 

 winter visiters, and rather rare in Britain. Many were seen 

 here during the last breeding season. A gentlemen in the 

 neighbourhood observed some about the middle of May; the 

 first that I noticed was on the 27th : it was picking seeds of 

 grass on the edge of the road, and was not at all shy ; I saw 

 others afterwards, at different times and places, till the end of 

 June. The siskin, I believe, has not been before seen in this 

 quarter. [See p. 113.] 



A Pair of Redstarts (Sylvia Phcenicurus Latham) bred 

 here this summer, and brought up five or six young ones. 

 The redstart had, I believe, not been before seen in this 

 quarter. 



Dottrels (Charadrius Morinellus L.) breed on our hills. I 

 do not state this fact on my own knowledge, but I disturbed 

 a pair on Menaway, in the parish of Keig, on the 26th of 

 June, that from their distress evidently had their nest near. 



The Oyster-catcher or Sea-pie (Haematopus ostralegus L.), 

 Montagu says " is common On our shores, but never quits the 

 sea-coast." We have them, here, however. During summer 

 some may always be seen along the Don, from twenty-five to 

 thirty miles from the sea ; and I have been told that they breed 

 about Kildrummy, a few miles higher up. I have never seen 



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