184 NALURAL HISTORY. 



A Ring Ouzel, Turdus iorquatus, was shot at the Grange, 

 on the 7th of Aprih 



Land Rails, Crex praiensis, have been very abundant during 

 the past season. Upon the manor of Langton alone, be- 

 tween the eighteenth of August, and the thirteenth of 

 October, as many as a hundred and twenty two were 

 killed. On one day, the sixth of September, the number 

 amounted to thirty eight. At Studland, seventeen were 

 killed in a single field. Their favorite haunt is in clover 

 seed, especially in wet weather, where they feed upon a 

 small white slug. They appear to arrive in two distinct 

 flights, the last being composed of smaller birds, probably 

 the females and birds of the year. 



There can be no doubt that Purbeck is one of their 

 resting places upon their migration eastward. It is how- 

 ever, a curious fact, that they do not thus occur at any 

 other part of this coast. An old sportsman residing at 

 Broadway, near Weymouth, informs me that he doe.s not 

 remember ever to have seen or killed more than a brace 

 in any one day; and upon my own land which is sit- 

 uated about two miles from the sea at Bournemouth, and 

 which is regularly visited by the Ring Ouzels in spring 

 and autumn, the largest number killed in any one season 

 during the last twenty-five years, has been seven, and 

 frequently only one. But Yarrell mentions thirteen cou- 

 ple to have been killed in one day in Devonshire, in the 

 month of September ; and fifteen, and seven couple, upon 

 two successive days during the third week of September, 

 in the neighbourhood of Battle, near the coast of Sussex. 



I have been informed that they are abundant in the 

 Isle of Wight, where they appear in large numbers about 

 the first week in September. I am enabled to give a 

 correct account of the average usually killed, with the 

 total during the last season upon three estates; viz: upon 

 Sir John Simeon's, of about six thousand acres, from 

 twenty-five to thirty-five couple annually ; the last season 

 forty and a half couple. Upon about five hundred acres, 

 belonging to W. Popham, Esq., at Shanklyn, ten to 

 twelve couple annually; the last season, sixteen couple. 

 And upon Sir H. Oglander's, at Brading, of about three 

 thousand acres, from sixteen to twenty couple, annually; 

 the last season, twenty-five and a half couple. 



Mr. Thompson, of Weymouth, informs me that they 

 breed in Portland, but have never been observed there 

 in quantities. At all events it seems probable that they 



