94; MISCELLANEOUS NOTICES. 



Tncuhation of the Partndge. (See page 48.) — In reference to the notice 

 on the "Incubation of the Partridge," by Mr. Henry Tuckett, in the number 

 of "The Naturalist" for this month, referring to a paragraph in some periodical, 

 alluding to Jeremiah, xvii. 11, ^^As the Partridge sitteth on eggs and hatcheth 

 them not," I cannot help observing, that I do not think the writer of that 

 paragraph understood the passage he quoted. The Prophet, I conceive, in his 

 beautiful simile refers to the case of a Partridge whose eggs are addled, and 

 can produce nothing, and whose endeavours to hatch them are therefore vain, 

 and not, as to a well-known fact, that those birds sit on their eggs without 

 hatching them. By adopting this common sense, and (to me,) obvious meaning 

 of this passage, we avoid the dilemma from which the writer sees no other 

 way of escaping, than by availing himself of the very dubious assertion of the 

 Highland shepherd's ^'that the Partridge does not complete the hatching, but 

 vacates the nest several hours previously;" for, even supposing this to be the 

 case, it is difficult to understand how it can be said that "the Partridge 

 sitteth on eggs and hatcheth them not" merely because she is not present 

 at the precise time when the young birds leave the shell. — E. K. Bridyer, 

 Princess Place, Kennington Road, April 1st. 1851. 



Waxen Chatterer, (Bombycilla garrula,) near Edinburgh. — A beautiful male 

 specimen of this bird was shot on the 30th. ult., by Charles Cobbold, Esq., 

 at his residence, Broughton Park, Ediijiburgh. This is the second or third 

 time I have seen accounts of the capture of this occasional visitant during 

 the past winter. From the rarity of this and other foreign species, we are 

 naturally led to seize any opportunity of adding them to our cabinets, but I 

 think this system of monopoly cannot but be regi-etted by ornithologists, 

 inasmuch as we thus deprive ourselves, not only of the opportunity of studying 

 the instincts and habits of such birds, but, at the same time, we effectually 

 put a stop to their becoming naturalized in our own country, which would, in 

 many instances, undoubtedly happen. In confirmation of this latter statement, 

 I may add, that the female of the bird now referred to, was perched 

 on a hawthorn bush a few paces from its mate, at the time it was shot. — 

 Spencer Cohhold, F.B.S., 20, Dublin Street, Edinburgh, April 1st., 1851. 



Waxen Chatterer, (Bombycilla garrula.) — A splendid cock bird of this species 

 was shot on the 12th. of January, 1850, a short distance from the south 

 gates of this town: it is now in the Lynn Museum. A few days previous, 

 one of these birds was shot by a gentleman at Walpole. The Pink-footed Goose, 

 (Anser hrachyrhynchvs,) occurred here frequently last winter, (1849-50.) — 

 T. S., Lynn, Norfolk, Apnl dth., 1851. 



Waxen Chatterer, (Bombycilla garrula,) in Aberdeenshire. — Since -WTiting 

 to you last night, I have learned that my father's gardener, Mr. William 

 Wallace, shot, last week, in our garden, Kinmundy, near Peterhead, Aberdeen- 

 shire, a very beautiful specimen of the Bohemian Waxwing: he has stuffed 



