MISCKLLANEOUS NOTICES. 251 



Township, about half a mile from their former settlement, and they were so far unmolested as 

 to have deposited their eggs in some of the new nests, when their old enemies suddenly 

 commenced a second attack, and drove them to seek a refuge elsewhere, "Whether the Rooks 

 will, from instinct in the spring of next year, revisit their original breeding-place, or entirely 

 leave the neighbourhood, remains to be seen. The ruins of their former habitations have afforded 

 an asylum for Daws, Starlings, and Sparrows, with which they have been well peopled during 

 so far of the breeding season. — R. O'Kell, Moore, June, 1852. 



A Creeper, (Certhia familiaris,) -hatched by a Titmouse, (Parus ca^ruleus.) — In the latter part 

 of lost May, I found a nest of the Blue Titmouse, situated in an out-house, and containing 

 eight eggs, wliich in due time produced a corresponding number of young birds; and on 

 the 12th. of the present month, on making a careful examination, I discovered, to my surprise, 

 that only seven out of the eight birds were Titmice, the other being a young Creeper, The nest 

 was so placed that it gave me every facility for closely watching this happy family, the parent 

 Titmice feeding the young stranger with all the care and solicitude bestowed upon their own 

 offspring. The young Creeper left the nest on the 17th. and the Titmice on the 18th. of 

 this month. I will only add, that I frequently observed a pair of Creepers in the neighbourhood 

 of the nest, but could not detect any actual approach to it.— J, H. B., Luton, Bedfordshii-e, 

 June 23rd., 1852. 



The Roller in Hertfordshire. — On Monday the 20th. inst., a labourer came running in from 

 the Orchard, with the intelligence that there was a "comical bird in an apple tree." My 

 neighbour, who was lucky enough to be in the waj', went out with his gun, and forthwith came 

 to me with a magnificent specimen, an adult female in full plumage, of Coraeias garnda, 

 (Chattering Roller.) The bird was but slightly wounded, and uttered a most discordant note. 

 I observed that it was exceedingly tenacious of life. — C. A. J., Callipers Hall, Herts., September, 

 1852. 



The Swallow, (Hirundo rustica,) — I saw Swallows here, for the first time this season, on 

 Saturday, the 1st. of May. — J. P, Fkaser, Glasgow, May 6th., 1852. 



Swallow. — (Hirundo rustica.) — Aware of the truth of the old saying that "one Swallow does 

 not make a summer" still perhaps it may not be unworthy of mention that I saw one of these 

 birds flying about apparently in great enjoyment on Easter Monday, April 12th. instant. A 

 friend of mine saw twelve or fourteen over a pond about a mile and a half from this town 

 yesterday. — John Garland, Dorchester, April 19th. 1852. 



Green-crested Cormorant, (Phalacracorax graculus.) — A few days ago I saw at Mr. Bolitho'Sy 

 Taxidermist, of this town, a veiy fine specimen of this bii-d in full breeding plumage, which 

 was captured by some boys at the mouth of the River Yealm, with sticks and stones, on the 

 3rd. of this month. — W. E. Matthews, 4, Portland Square, Plymouth, April 16th., 1852. 



Curious Variety of the Ydhxo-hammei', (Embcu-iza citrinella.) — As I frequently obsei-ve in 

 "The Naturalist," that you record any unusual variety of plumage in which birds occasionally 

 appear, I have much pleasure in communicating a remarkable change of costume in wliich 

 I discovered the Yellow-hammer on the 11th. of this month, in the island of Gometra, which 

 lies about six miles to the north of Staffa. I visited that district exclusively for the purpose 

 of making myself acquainted with the birds which might bo found there ; and while standing 

 at the door of Mr. Mc' Lean's house, a gentleman whom I am much indebted to for his 

 kindness during my visit, my attention was directed to a bright yellow bii-d attempting to 

 alight within eighty yards of me, but was so much beset by a flock of Linnets, {Linaria 

 montana,) that he flew off" to some distance. I immediately called the attention of my young 

 friend Mr. Sinclair, who accompanied me in the excursion, and requested him to mark tvcll 

 till I got my gun, which was the work of a second. I very soon got up to within twenty 

 yards of it, and upon such close examination I was convinced that it was a Canary! which 

 had escaped from Miss Mc' Lean, and rather than risk my reputation in bagging such a bii-d, 

 I requested Mr. Sinclair, in the distance, to make the inquiry, who assured me it was not. 

 It was with considerable difficulty that I could again get within shot, as some Whinchats, 

 {Saxicola rubetra,) were now in full pursuit; and just as he was ascending a rocky eminence 

 I shot liim, and have preserved the skin to establish the fact of the "Jackdaw in the Peacock's 



