MISCELLANEOUS NOTICES. 213 



A White Sioallow. — On Monday, July 29th., I80I, Mr. Thomas Burrows, 

 Bird Preserver, of this town, shot on the Keyword, a hamlet of Diss, a 

 Chimney Swallow having all its plumage quite white — even the long feathers 

 of the tail and wings were the same colour. It is considered a fine specimen. 

 — E. C. Nunn, Diss, Norfolk, August 4dh., I80I. 



During the winter Mr. Burrows shot that rare bird, the Ring Ousel, 

 (Turdus merula,) at Palgrave; a pair of Black Tern, {Slcrna fissiper,) on 

 Dickleburgh Moor; and a Bohemian Chatterer, (Bombycilla garrula,) at 

 Sturston; all these places are adjoining Diss. — Idem. 



The Jackdaw. — I think your correspondent who states that he never saw 

 these birds build but in churches, must have had few opportunities of observing 

 the habits of the Jackdaw, other than those afforded him in his native town 

 of Totnes; for it is a notorious fact that there is scarcely a ruin of anv 

 magnitude which is not tenanted by them, as for example Rochester Castle, 

 Netley Abbey, Chepstow Castle, and numerous others throughout the United 

 Kingdom, which I could name were it necessary: but I believe bold cliffs 

 and wild mountainous districts to be the natural breeding places of these birds; 

 and in such situations .they will almost invariably be found. Jackdaws abound 

 in England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales; and wherever in either of these 

 countries, the cliffs, marine or inland, are adapted for that purpose, they may 

 be seen, in the commencement of the breeding season, busily engaged preparing 

 for incubation. It would be taking up too much of your space to quote any 

 authors in support of this, I will therefore merely mention, for the benefit of 

 such of your readers as have not the opportunity of observing for themselves, 

 that if they will refer to either "Yarrell's British Birds," "Thompson's Birds 

 of Ireland," "Mudie's British Birds," or "Jardine's Naturalist's Library;" they 

 will, I think, be convinced that, although the Jackdaw resorts to Mother Church, 

 and secure in her precincts hath there, like the Sparrow, found her a house, 

 and, like the Swallow, a nest where she may lay her young; yet it docs not always 

 nestle there, but still retains its ancient and natural haunts, where, for centuries 

 before Christianity reached these islands, and ere there was a church tower to 

 afford it an asylum, it reared its callow brood. — E. K. Bridger, May 20th., 

 I80I. 



Jackdaw. — Page G7, "The Naturalist." The Jackdaw constantly builds in 

 this neighbourhood in hollow trees; and still more frequently in the chimneys 

 of houses, to the great annoyance of the inhabitants; quickly filling them up 

 to the top with sticks, in spite of smoke and fire. — B. P. Alini^ton, Swinhope 

 Rectory, Lincolnshire. 



Jackdaw. — Churches are not the only places in which Jackdaws build. 

 The present year I knew of one that built in a chimney. I have frequently 

 found nests in the holes of trees, and likewise in the banks of gravel pits, 

 formerly rabbit-holes. — H. J. G. 



Nesting of the Starling. — The Starling, (Stunius vulgaris,) has the last two 



