183 



NATURAL HISTORY. 



1857 — 1858. 



BIRDS. 



Thebe are no additions to be recorded. I observed in Sep- 

 tember, several specimens of the Dartford Warbler, Melizophi- 

 lus provinctalis, at Arne. 



A flight of Gray Phalaropes, Phalaropus lohatuSj visited 

 Kimmeridge during a gale of wind in October. The weather 

 was so extraordinarily mild in the month of February, that 

 several fresh-built birds' nests were reported to have been found. 

 I received a notice of one of a Hedge-Sparrow which contained 

 four eggs, having been taken at Creech. 



On February 2nd, a pair of Ravens were building a nest 

 upon the ivy tower of Corfe Castle. They are doubtless the same 

 birds as those mentioned at p, 65, and very probably descendants 

 of the pair which were the subject of the following note, taken 

 from an interesting manuscript diary of Dennis Bond, Esq., 

 of Lutton, now in the possession of The Rev. N. Bond, of the 

 Grange. 



" 1638. Baven bred in Corfe Castell at Christ id, & did kill yonge 

 lambs to feed 5 yonge ones wTi he had; W. Brown ye keper did kill 

 yosc 5 yonge Ravenes." 



