MISOriJ.ANEOUS XOTICKS, 181 



still greater astoushmcnt, dived, and I saw him no more. I think that it was the Short-tailed 

 Field Mouse, but the whole affair was done so quickly that I had not opportunity to ascertain. 

 — Martin Curtleii, Bevere House, Worcester, February 10th., 1852. 



Kestrel Falcon attaching Missel Thrush. — Some few weeks ago a friend of mine was standing 

 within a few yards of a large Portugal laurel tree near this house, when he was startled at the 

 noise made by a bird darting rapidly through the thick leaves and branches, and almost before 

 he had time to look up, down from thq tree, and within a very short distance of my friend's 

 feet, fell a Kestrel and a Missel Thru«i, firmly locked in deadly struggle, both making a 

 most tremendous uproar. Tliey rolled over and over several times, until the Kestrel appeared 

 to have the best of the encounter, and managed to take wing, still holding the Thrush quite 

 tightly ; he was, however, only able to fly a few yards, when down both came again, and the 

 struggle was renewed upon the ground. The same thing was repeated two or three times, 

 the Hawk managing to fly with his victim about the same distance each time, until at last 

 he contrived to take him over a high hedge into a plantation, and was lost to view. There 

 was not the least doubt, my friend assures me, as to the Hawk being a Kestrel: probably ho 

 was hard pressed for food, or he would not have attacked so formidable a bird as the Missel 

 Thrush. I believe that the Kestrel very seldom preys upon birds of any kind, but that its 

 food consists almost entirely of Mice. Lot any one climb a tree and inspect this bird's nest; 

 he will there probably see some scores of disgorged pellets, composed of fur, all around the 

 nest, which he will find on examination are the remains of Mice. I have myself seen in and 

 under one nest, when the young birds were only about a week old, from one hundred and fifty 

 to two hundred of these Mice pellets, and not a vestige of a feather, or sign of any kind of 

 bird to be seen. — Idem. 



Irides of the Sparroiv-Hawk, (Aociipiter fringillarius.) — A short time ago a fine specimen of 

 this bird, a male, was shot near here, and came into the possession of a bird-stuffer in this 

 city, having its irides of a deep red colour, instead of the ordinaiy bright yellow. This singularity, 

 I must observe, was not caused by any injury the bird had received; for on skinning it, not 

 a shot-corn was found to have penetrated the head. — F. M. Burton, Lindum House, Lincoln, 

 March 3rd., 1852. 



European Hoopoe, (Upupa Epops.) — A pair of these rare and elegant birds were shot in the 

 parish of St. Stephen's, near St. Austell, Cornwall. I am informed by Mr. Tercy, bird 

 and animal preserver of this town, that the female was shot on the 26tli of March, and the 

 male on the 3()th. They were in very good plumage. — Ww E. Matthews, 4, Portland Square, 

 Plymouth, April 16th,, 1852. 



The Hoopoe, (Upupa Epops.) — A very beautiful specimen of that rare and singular bird, the 

 Hoopoe, was shot at Earsham, near Bungay, Suftblk, a few days since. It is almost thirty 

 years smce one was shot on Bungay Common. — E. C. Nunn, Anandeston, May 1st., 1852. 



Appearance of the Hoopoe.— Ahout the middle of last April, two Hoopoes were seen on the 

 Island of Skomar, Pembrokesliire, by a friend of mine, who shot one of them : about the same 

 time one or two others were seen in the neighbourhood.— E. 11. B , May 26th., 1852. 



A good specimen of the Hoopoe, (Upupa Upops^J was captured by a labouring man on the 

 8th. of May last, in the parish of Sparkford, Somerso't. It was kept alive by the man for 

 three weeks, during which time he fed it on worms and~sttch like. — C. Dew, Yeovil, Somerset, 

 June, 11th. 1852. 



Mte on the Woodcock, (Scolopa.x rusticola.)— On the 16th. of June, 1851, a fine adult Wood- 

 cock was shot in Mr. PauU's nursery It was discovered by a gentleman, sitting on some weeds 

 in the middle of a brook, about ten yards distant from the turnpike road. — R. H. Nancarrow, 

 Grampound, March 12th., 1852. 



Ortolan, (Emberiza hortulana.)— The Ortolan mentioned at page 131, when killed, was busily 

 seeking food in the grass and low herbage, on the bank by the road side; and, on dissection, 

 its crop was found to be almost full of the remains of small beetles. — W. F. W. B, 



Kiuffjisher's Nest.— A few weeks since I found a Kingfisher's nest with five young, I should 

 think about three days old. The nest was composed of loose fish bones, lined with red cow- 

 hair; this is a cii-cumstance I hav€^ never before witnessed or heard of, the object I suppose was 



