ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES. 



105 



Magpie, (Nanpie.) 

 Jay, (Jenny Jay.) 

 Creeper, (Creepy-tree.) 

 Nightjar, (Gable Ratchet; so called 

 because it ratches (i. e. hoots) on 

 the gables of houses. Its cry is 

 superstitiously believed to be the 

 •harbinger of death.) 

 Swift, (Dibbling.) 

 Pied Wagtail, (Willy Wagtail.) 

 Tree Pipit, (Bulking Lark.) 

 Black-headed Bunting, (Seave Cap.) 

 Yellow-Hammer, (Goldspink,) 

 Chaffinch, (Bullspink.) 

 Sparrow, (Spag and Spadger.) 

 Green Finch, (Green Lenny.) 



Thirsk, Fehruary •Jlth., 1854. 



Linnet, (French Lenny.) 

 Bullfinch, (Bullflinch and Bully.) 

 Starling, (Ship Starling.) 

 Missel Thrush, (Thrush.) 

 Thrush, (Throstle.) 

 Fieldfare, (Fellfer.) 

 Blackbird, (Blacky.) 

 Dunnock, (Cuddy and Hedge-creeper.) 

 Eedstart, (Lenny Redtail.) 

 Whitethroat, (Peggy Whitethroat.) 

 Lesser Whitethroat, (Mealy mouth.) 

 Wren, (Tricker, Jenny Wren, and 



Tommy Tit.) 

 Golden-Crested W^ren, (Firecrown.) 

 Wood Pigeon, (Cowscot and Cowshot.) 

 Lapwing, (Teafit.) 



ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES. 



BY MR. CLEMENT JACKSON. 



Marsh Harrier, (Circus rufus.) — Having perused with much interest Mr. 

 A. Strickland's note on the migration and change of plumage exhibited by 

 the Marsh Harrier, as detailed in Morris's "British Birds," vol. i., page 162; 

 and as this species in common with all large predaceous birds, is now of rare 

 occurrence here, the following notice of a male specimen brought to me on 

 the 28th. of December, 1853, may be worth recording: — 



It was shot a few days previously on the moors, a few miles from Liskeard, 



during very severe frost, late in the evening, as it rose from a ditch where 



it had probably been discussing its last meal. The stomach was filled with 



the remains of a Teal and a Thrush, torn in small fragments, and well 



plucked, as comparatively few feathers were swallowed, the beak and legs 



alone identifying the owners. It was in good flesh and feather, and measured 



about twenty inches from beak to end of tail; spread of wings four feet two 



finches. Irides, dark brown; primary quills, dark; secondaries, grayish brown; 



Itail, gray. Head, neck, and body, above and below, dark brown, with a few 



[lighter markings around the beak and facial disk; wing coverts, dark brown, 



nth some old worn feathers, evidently the remains of summer plumage, scattered 



)ver them: these appear to have beea light brown or straw-colour; their faded 



|and worn tips are very conspicuous on the new dark brown plumage, exhibiting 



ift marked difference in colour from the summer livery, and confirming Mr. 



iRtrickland's conjecture respecting the autumnal change. 



