MISCELLANEOUS NOTICES. ' 19 



Singular colour of a Water-Rat, (Arvicola amphibia.) — A large bright buff-coloured Water- Rat 

 ■was sent me last week for preservation; it was shot near Derby, on the Railway. — "W. Bond, 

 Frog Island, Leicester, October 2nd., 1852. 



Occurrence of tlie Goshawk, (Astur palumbarius,) in Yorkshire. — Two Goshawks, male andl 

 female, were shot near Easington, near the north-oast coast of Yorkshire, on the 15th. of last 

 October, by S. Gibbs, keeper to H. Kirk, Esq., of Stockton-on-Tees. — D. Graham, York, Dec. 

 1st., 1852, 



The Black Stork, (Ciconia nigi-a,) in Yorkshire. — A magnificent specimen of this extremely 

 rare British bird was brought in the flesh to Mr. Graham on Friday evening, October 29th. 

 last, to be stuffed. It was shot on Market- Weighton common, by Mr. Wake, of Market-Weighton. 

 It was an old male in veiy fine plumage. It is, we believe, the fifth that has occurred in Britain.^ 

 Mr. Graham, with his accustomed ability, has made a splendid specimen of it. It is now in 

 the Museum of the Yorkshire Philosophical Society. — B. R. M., York, December 1st., 1852. 



TJie Pheasant, (Phasianus Colchicus.)— A singular incident occurred last week in an adjoining 

 parish. A party of sportsmen started a Pheasant, which in its eagerness to escape dashed so- 

 violently against the trunk of a tree as to fracture its lower mandible, when it fell to the 

 ground, and was picked up by the dogs.— C. A. J., Callipers Hall, Rickmansworth, September 

 18th., 1852. 



Scolopax rusticola. — A Woodcock was taken in this town on the 9th. of the present month, 

 in rather a singular manner. One of the porters of Messrs. W. and J. Cooper upon going into 

 their iron warehouse, was surprised to see a strange bird seated upon the back of a stove; it 

 allowed him to approach and take it into his hands without attempting to escape. The poor 

 bird was soon transferred to a fishmonger's, where I saw it. The warehouse door had been 

 left open till half-past six the previous evening, and it is most probable that the bird entered 

 in the dusk, perhaps it sought shelter there immediately upon its amval. It was in good con- 

 dition, and seemed quite healthy. — T. Southwell, Lynn, Norfolk, October 16th., 1852. 



Richardson's Lestris, (Lestris Richardsonii.) — A male specimen of this bird in the plumage 

 of the second autumn was shot here on the 16th. of September. A pair of the Arctic Skua, 

 (Lestris parasiticus,) were shot at Hemstanton, on the 11th. of September. All the species of 

 Lestris are somewhat rare, and seldom occur here in the adult plumage. — Idem. 



Storm Petrel, (Thalassidroma pelagica,) seen on the 6th. of October, flying over the Ouse,. 

 near Lynn. — Idem. 



Rare Birds at Reading.— It may be interesting to the readers of your admirable periodical 

 to know that an adult specimen of the Common Tern, (Sterna hirundo,) was shot here this 

 morning. The length of the bird is from the tip of the bill to the tip of the longest tail 

 feather fifteen inches and a quarter; length of the wing from the wrist eleven inches and a 

 quarter. These dimensions do not agree with those given by Yarrell, but are rather repre- 

 sentative of the Arctic Tern, still the colour of my specimen is altogether lighter than the 

 one figured by him; and although the breast is slightly tinged Avith pearl gray, yet it is 

 decidedly lighter than that which pervades the upper surface of the body. The bird is apparently 

 one of considerable age. It appears to have commenced moulting, as the feathers di'op out 

 rather, and others not fully developed are observed. A j'oung specimen of this species was shot 

 on the Thames here, in the second week in October, last year ; it rose with a number of Rooks, 

 and had apparently been feeding in their company on the river-side. Adult specimens of the 

 Black Tern, (Sterna fissipes,) are occasionally met with. In the autumn of last year a spe- 

 cimen of the Little Bustard, (Otis tctrax,) (I think a female,) was obtained here. A Coot 

 was shot a week or two ago. These birds are not very common in this locality; I met with two 

 in January last, and also with a couple of White-fronted Gecsc, {Anser albifrons.)—^ . C. Wilson, 

 Victoria Square, Reading, September 14th., 1852. 



I have at this time in my possession, alive, a specimen of the bird described by Swainson, 

 (Birds of W.Africa, Nat: Libr:) as Crithagra chrgsopyga, or Yellow-rumped Bullfinch. It 

 was taken by a bird-catcher, named Lavender, on the 24th. of June, near Eastney Fort, about 

 a mile from this place, in company with Linnets. It is a male, and has a very pretty song. 



