MISCELLANEOUS XOTICES. 163 



Hcronriea.—To the list given at page 60, may be added the following existing in South Wales: 

 —Margam Abbey, Glamorgansliire ; Pcnrice Castle, Glamorganshire.— E. Wilbraham Falconer, 

 M. D. Bath. 



Heronries. —In addition to those mentioned by J. Mc' Intosh, Esq., in "The Naturalist" for 

 Ma J", there is one still in existence in Wanstoad Park, Essex.— H. J. C. 



The Grasshopper IVarblcr, (Salicaria locustcUa,) near Fahwuth.—A. beautiful specimen of tliis 

 bird was sliot last week on the Furze common, Pendcnnis Castle, by Mr. G. Copelaud. Although 

 tills bird is not rare in this locality, from its shyness it is difficult to procure.— AV. P. Cocks, 

 Falmouth, May 19th., 1851. 



Red-footed Falcon, (Falco rufipcs,) at Falmo nth. —This bird I flushed in Mr.-Jago's furze patch 

 stone quarry, parish of Budock, Falmouth. It was within throe yards of mc. The plumage of 

 the head, neck, and body, uniform dark slate gray colour; legs, bright reddish brown; bill, 

 yellowish; a broad black bar at the tip of the tail. Size, not larger than the male ^^ Tardus 

 viscivorus" here. After hawking close to the ground in Mr.'Selley's field for nearly ten minutes, 

 it mounted high and made oft' for the wood at Trefusis, about half-a-mile from the furze brake. 

 —Idem. 



TJie Jackdaw, (Corvus monedula.)— I observe in the interesting "Xotes" by Mr. S. Hannaford, in 

 your last number, that his experience of the habits of the Jackdaw does not furnish him with 

 any instance of that bird nestling elsewhere than in churches. It may be interesting to him 

 to know, that although they may generally pi-efer such edifices, their predilection for them is 

 not so strong as to prevent theu" nestling in other buildings which present equally suitable 

 situations. In the tower, and along the sides of the cathedral church at Sherborne, Dorset, 

 great numbers of Jackdaws annually build their nests, but in the ruins of the old ivied castle 

 belonging to Earl Digby, which is witliin a mile of the church, may be found, at this season of the 

 year, quite as large, if not a greater number of nests of the same bird. As far as my experience 

 goes, they seem to nestle in any old buildings, and also in the hollows of any old trees, which, 

 from their seclusion, aftbrd a safe retreat. I remember, in the park at Sherborne, finding two 

 Jackdaws' nests in an oak tree, among the forked branches of which, was the nest of a Cape 

 Goose. These facts are sufficient to prove that the bird in question is not exclusively partial 

 to church buildings.— A. P. M., Leicester, May 5th., 1851. 



The JacMaiv, (Corvus monedula.)— In reference to the notice on the Jackdaw, page 67 of 

 'The Naturalist," I beg to state that for the last four years two pairs of Jackdaws have built 

 *^iii a wych elm in mj' garden. Tliis year they have forsaken me, and are succeeded by Starlings. 

 [—E. Mack, Ilaluig Cottage, Ci-oydon, Surrey, May 8th., 1851. 



The Jackdaw, (Corvus monedula.)— At page 67 of "The Naturalist," S. Hannaford, Esq., Jun. 

 states "that he never saw the Jackdaw, (Corvus monedula,) build but in churches." They 

 build in almost all the old church-towers m Beds., but in Wobum Park they invariably build 

 in the hole of a tree, as I have frequently frightened them out by rapping the tree with a 

 stick, and have seen both eggs and young which have been taken therefrom.— G. B. Clarke, 

 Wobum, Beds., May 12th., 1851. 



0)1 the size of the eggs of tlie Thrush, (Turdus musicus.) --Having read an article in the first 

 number of "The Naturalist," I observed it stated at page 22, on the early nesting of the Song 

 Thrush, that the smallness of the eggs in a nest, found in March, arises from the want of 

 proper development in consequence of the severity of the weatlier. In tliis matter I have had 

 considerable experience ; and have almost invariably fouaid that j'oung birds, in thou- first season 

 of laj-ing, pi-oduce smaller eggs than birds of two years or the second season. It is not only so 

 with Thruslies, but with most other birds, including domestic Fowls. The whole of last May 

 and June, I was staying at EufFord Hall, in Lancashire, (Su- Thomas Hcsketh's,) where, on 

 most evenings, I amused myself by searching the woods, slu-ubberics, and pleasure grounds, for 

 nests; and I am positive I found at least tliii'ty of those of the Song Thrush, many of them 

 v.u-ying much in the size and colour of the eggs. Those of the younger birds were small, of a 

 deep blue, and thickly studded at the larger end with black spots; while those of the older 

 birds were pale, scarce of spots, and about one-fourth larger. AVhen a youth I lived near an 

 aviary, (in wliich were kept gold, silver, and other Pheasants,) enclosing about an acre of ground, 



