164 



Blisrcllniipniis J^ntirrs. 



Note on a Rook and Weasel. — Your correspondent's observations in the "Naturalist," for 

 this month, respecting the Hooded Crow, remind me of a similar circumstance which occurred 

 in this neighbourhood about two months since. As my son and another person were talking 

 together in a field, they observed a Rook passing over with something in its mouth, and per- 

 forming similar antics to those described by Mr. Cooper, eventually tossing it over its back, 

 and falling to the ground ; they immediately ran to see what it was, which frightened the Eook 

 away; it proved to be a Weasel, not much the worse for its aerial excursion, or the attack 

 of its assailant, as it directly made for a ditch, and eluded their further observation.— C. Wood, 

 Dulwich, April 5th., 1854. 



Note on tJie Greater and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. The Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, {Picus 

 minor,) remains with us through the season: it appears rather plentiful. The larger species, 

 {Picus major,) I have only seen two or three times, and have not as yet been able to pro- 

 cure a specimen. — Idem. 



Observations on Birds about Barnslcy. — In the interval before the appearance of our summer 

 birds from warmer climes, the following notes applicable to the past month, though taken iu 

 the early part of last year, may not be unacceptable, and if not new they may encourage 

 similar observations. — February 10th. 1853. This morning I walked over Honey-well fields, 

 and by the Dcarne to Willow Pit Bank, returning up Smithy-lane. While observing a fine 

 Missel Thrush (better known here as the Storm-Cock,) in the meadow below, now hopping briskly, 

 then suddenly stopping, casting a wary look around ; anon with tail elevated and head plunging 

 downwards, digging with his bill into the ground for an earth-worm. As I was in the act of 

 fixing my telescope upon him, and a pair of Great Titmice in the field of view at the same 

 time, hopping on the grass in quest of their tinier prey, in the moment of shifting my point 

 of view I saw the flutter of wings in the sky, which proved to be those of the Kestrel or 

 Windhover, winnowing the air, then remaining steadily poised for some seconds, renewing at 

 times this fixed position by a gentle flap of the wing, and then gracefully wheeling without 

 perceptible effort, in a semi-circular flight, during which, as both back and front were exposed, 

 I could discriminate, not only the light grey feathers of the tail and the head, proving the 

 bird to be a male, but also the dark spots on the red ground of the body, so strikingly distinguishing 

 the plumage from the handsome barred feathers which mark the female from head to foot. I 

 turned down the lane towards Sykes' croft, and caught a nearer view of him from the railway 

 bridge. He frequently descended with a sudden stoop upon the fields, but I could not see for 

 the intervening hedges if any prize had repaid his effbrts. During one of these disappearances, 

 I saw another Kestrel hovering over the fields behind me. Presently, while I was concluding 

 it must be the same bird, it was joined by the one I had been observing, and both disappeared 

 over the shoulder of the hill, so that I could not ascertain if the other was a female. In a few 

 minutes one of them flew back, and hovered over the former station; and being projected in a 

 favourgible light against Burton-bank, I readily perceived with" the telescope that it was the 

 male bird again. I had not seen a Kestrel since summer, a proof that this most abundant and 

 harmless of the Hawk family is sharing the extermination vowed against his race by the 

 ruthless keeper and unthinking sportsman. Another point is settled, that the Kestrel as well 

 as the Merlin, the observation of which was recently noticed, are both found in this locality 

 in winter, both species being considered partially migratory to different parts of Britain. — 

 T. Lister, Bamsley, February, 1854. 



Late departure of the Cuckoo, (Cuculus canorus.) — I shot, on the 9th. of August, 1853, a male 

 and female of this bird; immature specimens. — J, 0. Harper, Norwich, April, 1854. 



Occurrence of the Nutcracker, (Nucifraga caryocatactes,) at Yarmouth. — A male specimen of 

 this bird, in good plumage, was shot at, or near, the above-mentioned town, the 12th. of October, 

 1853.— Idem. 



Occurrence of the Red-necked Phalarope, (P. hyperboreus,) near this city.— On the 9th. of 

 November, 1853, I ha,d presented to me by J. Brownfield, Esq., a female specimen of this bird, 

 which he had just shot skimming the surface of the river near Trowse Bridge, about a mile 

 from Norwich. — Idem. 



