MISCELLANEOUS NOTICES. 165 



Sparrows will destroy in feeding their young amounts to about four thou- 

 sand weekly." The latter naturalist, who took much interest in their behalf, 

 says, — ''In the destruction of caterpillars they are eminently serviceable to 

 vegetation. They likewise feed their young with butterflies and other 

 winged insects, each of which, if not destroyed in this manner, would be 

 productive of several hundreds of caterpillars." In country places the cus- 

 tom of paying for "Sparrows' heads" out of the church-rates still exists. 

 The churchwardens of Solihull, in Warwickshire, annually pay a considerable 

 sura for the destruction of these unfortunate innocents, and are reimbursed, 

 at the end of their year of office, by the trustees of the parish charities 

 out of moneys bequeathed to their trust for "pious and charitable uses." 

 The same enlightened parties expend a further sum out of the same source 

 in the slaughter of hedgehogs, under the vulgar notion that they plunder 

 the udders of the cows, and extract the milk. The principal food of hedge- 

 hogs consists of worms, camon, the larvee of insects, and sometimes the 

 farinaceous roots of plants. Hence they are of considerable service to man; 

 and, owing to the smallness of the mouth, are physically incapable of the 

 crime alleged against them. It is to be hoped that the publicity given 

 to these absurdities will attract the notice of the Charity Commissioners, 

 and that that body will shortly give the trustees of Solihull a practical 

 lesson in natural history, by compelling them to replace the money they 

 have so palpably misapplied; and that the churchwardens will be left, should 

 they still persist in their exploded prejudices, to pay the future premiums 

 for "urchins' and Sparrows' heads" out of their own private purses. This 

 effected, and a conversion to the opinions of Buffon and Bewick will cer- 

 tainly and speedily follow. — Nash Stephknson^ Shirley Parsocage, Solihull, 

 December 22nd., I800. 



The Niglitincjale. — I was out one morning for the purpose of procuring 

 specimens of our summer-visiting birds, when I had the pleasure of hearing 

 (about five o'clock in the morning) the Nightingale singing on the top of 

 an oak tree, which I should consider was thirty feet high, as the beautiful 

 songster was on the very top of it. I listened to it for some time. I 

 had the good fortune, if 1 may call it so, to kill it, and without any 

 injury to the plumage. It was a beautiful bird, and much larger than 

 others I have seen. It is now with a female in my small collection. — J. 

 Melhuish, Taunton, May Ist., 1856. 



The Shieldrake, (Tadorna vulpanser.) — I lately purchased a very fine stuffed 

 specimen of the Shieldrake, which I judged from its plumage and size 

 to be a male bird, but the knob on the bill is deficient. Have you ever 

 known it to be imperceptible after stuffing, as I can see no sign of it on 

 the bill?— Idem. 



