186 MISCELLANEOUS >'0T1CKS. 



with a few traps, when he discovered a fresh-killed Red Grouse, with a 

 piece taken out of the breast. He immediately set one of the traps, and 

 on returning next day, found the Falcon caught by the leg. He brought 

 it into Stirling, where it was stuffed by Mr. Allan, of that town, in whose 

 collection it still remains. — H. W. F. 



Wood Warbler, (Sylvia sylvicola.) — I killed, on the 29th. April, a very 

 good specimen of the Wood Warbler. I saw many more amongst the 

 tall beech and ash trees in a shrubbery, belonging to — Newton, Esq., 

 in the parish of Petmiuster, near this town. — J, Melhuish, Taunton, 

 May 1st., I806. 



Orasshopper Warhler. — I also killed, on the 22nd. of last month, the 

 Grasshopper Warbler on Hill Farm, (property of my own near Tiverton, 

 Devon.) — Idem. 



Bittern. — Though this winter has not been severe with us, I saw no 

 less than seven Bitterns, and all killed within one month near this town. 

 — Idem. 



Occurrence of the Dotterel, (Charadrius morinellus,) in, Cambridgeshire. — 

 An unusually fine marked female specimen was shot at Hardwicke, April 

 24th., 1856, A pair have since been shot near Ely. — S. P. Savill, 13, 

 Regent Street, Cambridge, May, 1856. 



Common Crossbill and Little Owl. — I have at this present time over 

 thirty of the Common Crossbills in the flesh; shot in the neighbourhood 

 of Maidstone, Kent, and sent to me by Mr. Baker, Chemist, of Maidstone. 

 It is unusually late for them. Possibly there may be some news of their 

 breeding here this year. Mr. B. has also a fine Little Owl, {Strix passerina,) 

 alive, taken in his neighbourhood, — James Gardner, 62, High Holborn, 

 London, May 21st., 1856. 



The Fieldfare. — In confirmation of Mr. Jackson's remarks in the June 

 number of ^'The Naturalist," on the subject of the scarcity of the Field- 

 fare during the last winter, I remarked on Monday, the 5th. of May, a 

 hawthorn hedge, in the parish of Thorsway, Lincolnshire, covered with 

 haws; the green leaves just appearing. Though the Fieldfare is compara- 

 tively more scarce in our neighbourhood, (probably because the hedges are 

 so closely trimmed as to prevent the thorn bearing fruit,) still sufficient 

 numbers generally visit us to consume all the berries that are lucky enough 

 to escape the knife. — R. P. Alington, Swinhope Rectory, Lincolnshire, June 

 12th., 1856. 



On the 10th. of January in the present year, I shot a Dipper by the 

 stream here, about half-a-mile below the Rectory. It is the first I have 



