142 MISCELLANEOUS NOTICES. 



not liable to be dragged out by the birds accidentally removing the twigs. 

 The same mode of building does not seem to continue in the same family: 

 I have frequently had a pair of Pigeons that always composed their nest of 

 twigs, the young of which have not attempted to form a nest, but have merely 

 laid their eggs on the sawdust at the bottom of the pans. The above certainly 

 seems at variance with Mr. Rennie's reasons for our common Domestic Pigeon 

 not deriving its origin from the Riug-dove. — H. J. G. 



A Pied Blackbird, (Turdus merula.) — Though of no very unusual occurrence, 

 I lately observed a male Blackbird, I think in his second year, with one white 

 wing; I am not sure about the other: tail coverts also white. It was in the 

 course of a walk from this to Dalkeith, in the forenoon of March 25th. — 

 W. Bruce Ganninijham, (in a letter to the Editor,) the F. C. Manse, Prcstonpans, 

 June, Zrd.y 1851. 



White variety of the Red-legged Partridge, (Perdix rufa.) — Rather before 

 the commencement of the shooting season of 1850, a nearly white variety of 

 the French, or Red-legged Partridge, was shot on the property of Archdeacon 

 Berners, of Wolverston Park. — R. P. C, Ipswich, May 28th., 1851. 



A White-headed Sparroiv, (Passer domcsticus.) — A Sparrow with a dirty 

 white head and neck, was killed in the Butter Market of this town^ early in 

 October last. — Idem. 



Purple Sandpiper, (Tringa maritima.) — Early in November last, I met with 

 two Purple Sandpipers in the flesh. One was at the Ipswich Museum; and 

 the other I myself saw shot at Felixstow, about twelve miles from here. It 

 was flying close to the shore, and appeared much fagged. — Idem. 



Occurrence of the Solitary Snipe, (Scolopax major,)— A very fine specimen 

 of this bird was shot by a gentleman residing at Stoke, on Shaugh Moor, 

 near the Rabbit-warren, September 7th., 1850. I am informed it weighed 

 above eight ounces. — R. A. Julian, Jun., Lara House, Plymoidh, June, 1851. 



Liylvt variety of Yellow- Hammer, and also of Chaffinch. — I had a Yellow- 

 Ilammer, (Emberiza citrinella,) about two years ago, which was shot at 

 Eversholt, about two miles and a half from this place, which was a very light 

 buff" all over it; and on the 2(5th. of March, 1850, I had a male Chaffinch, 

 (Fringilla ccelebs,) nearly white, there being only a few coloured feathers in 

 it. This bird was shot at Froxfield about one mile and a half from Woburn. 

 —G. B. Clarke, Woburn, May Uth., 1851. 



Lizards and Newts. — The Common Lizard, (Zootoca vivipara,) is of course 

 found in Dorsetshire, as well as in other parts of England; but I do not find any 

 instance on record of the Sand Lizard, (Lacerta agilis,) which is rare in England, 

 being met with in the county of Dorset, except at or near Poole, on the Sandy 

 heaths there. Perhaps it may therefore be worthy of mention, that I have 

 found a specimen on the heath called Puddletown Heath, near Yellowham 



