44 MISCELLANEOUS NOTICES. 



it fly across the garden. Is not this a ciirious circumstance? I thought it would 

 interest you." — F. R. Gihhes, Northallerton, Fehruai-y Idth., 1851. 



The Siskin, (Fringilla spinus,) Linn. — The first time I saw any of these 

 birds, was, while shooting in Fancy-wood, (about five miles from Plymouth,) 

 in December, 1845, when about half-a-dozen of them were clinging to the 

 catkins of the alder. I immediately shot at them, and killed a female, but a 

 spaniel so mutilated it, that it was unfit for being preserved. After that time, 

 I kept a sharp look out for them, and in the January following saw them; 

 (I conclude the same birds, as there was the same number) on some alder 

 trees, about a mile from where I first observed them, on the banks of the 

 River Plym: I shot them all, and they proved to be three males and three 

 females. Although I frequently passed these places in 1846, none appeared; 

 but in the middle of December, 1847, when the ground was covered with snow, 

 I saw a flock of between forty and fifty pass over my head, as I was 

 shooting in another part of the same wood; and after this time, I constantly 

 saw small parties, on the same sort of trees, in the neighbourhood, until the 

 end of February, 1847, when they disappeared. I once saw an old male alight 

 on a thistle, and eat the seeds; with the exception of which, I never saw them 

 feeding on anything but the seeds of the alder tree; clinging in all manner 

 of attitudes — sometimes with the top of their heads and their backs towards 

 the ground. While feeding they would allow me to approach very near them, 

 but on being disturbed, flew a great distance before alighting, in a rather 

 compact body, uttering a sharp note, somewhat resembling that of the Grey 

 Linnet, (Fringilla cannahina.) I have not observed any since that time. — 

 R. A. Julian, Jim., Lara Hotise, Plymouth, March 17th., 1851. 



Blade Stati, or Black RedstaH, (Sylvia tithys.) — Not uncommon on the 

 southern coasts of Devonshire. Arrives here usually the first week in November, 

 and in one instance as early as the 28th. of October: remains here all the winter, 

 and departs in March. They usually frequent the rocks on the coast, and the 

 sides and tops of cliff's; the adult birds are extremely shy, but the young are 

 easily obtained, and vary much one from another in their plumage. I know 

 of more than twenty of these birds being killed last year, sixteen by one person, 

 under Mount Edgcumbe, Plymouth Hoe, and Citadel, and near the Devil's 

 Point, Devonport. Their note much resembles that of the Wheatear, (Saxicola 

 cenanthe.) The Redstart, {Sylvia phoenicurus,) is by no means common here, — I 

 have never seen more than four or five in a season. — Ide7n. 



Pigmy Curlew, (Tringa subarquata.) — Are not very rare here in the 

 months of September and October, and are met with occasionally through the 

 winter in small numbers, on the Plymouth Breakwater, Shag-rock, Mew§tone, 

 the Lara, or St. John's lake, and River Tamar; frequently in company with 

 Dunlins, (Tringa variabilis,) from which they may be distinguished at a great 

 distance^ while flying, by their larger size and white rumps. There have been 



