MISCELLANY. 385 



scarce in our neighbourhood. A specimen was once killed by a boy with a stick 

 •at Knapton, near Scarborough, and presented to the museum of that town by 

 Mr. R. Tindall. When we consider the diminutive size of this Falcon, we may 

 venture to pronounce it second to none of its family in point of courage. At the 

 time the individual above mentioned was taken, it had just seized a Rook, and 

 was very heedlessly giving the boy a sample of its skill as an anatomist. — 

 Patrick Hawkridge, Scarborough, Aug. 7, 1837. 



The Turkey-Pheasant. — Three or four of these birds once frequented the 

 woods near Handford House, in this county ; one of them was shot by the late 

 H. Seymer, Esq., in October 1759, and an account of it was published in the 

 Philosophical Transactions for 1760. It is figured and described by Edwards as 

 Meleagris hybrida, Linn., being a hybrid between a cock Pheasant and a hen 

 Turkey. — J. C. Dale, Glanville's Wootton, Dorsetshire, July 9, 1837. 



The Wryneck's Mode of Feeding. — A Wryneck which a person of my ac- 

 quaintance long kept in confinement, did not exactly take insects by means of 

 its long tongue, but was fond of sitting on the window, and when it saw a Fly 

 within reach of its beak, it would dart out its tongue, repeatedly, with a very 

 quick motion, so quick as to allow of no mistake, above and around the Fly, and 

 would so gradually work it down the pane of glass till within reach of its beak, 

 tickling it down as it were. — Mr. Edward Blyth, Tooting, Surrey, Sept. 20, 

 1 83.5, in a letter to Neville Wood, Esq. 



The Egyptian Goose. — This bird quacks in a manner somewhat similar to 

 the Mallard Duck, but the note is more barking. The shape of the body is also 

 more that of an Anas than of an A.iser, though, according to modern systems, it 

 can belong to neither of those genera. — Ed. 



Relative Abundance of the Warblers (Sylvia) in Norfolk. — The Hedge 

 Warbler (Sylvia loquax) is a very rare bird in this district. I have not yet 

 heard a single individual this year. The Willow Warbler (S. trochilus) is ex- 

 tremely abundant, but the Wood Warbler ( S. sibilatrix) is scarce. I only saw 

 one pair last season, owing, I suppose, to our not possessing any natural woods, 

 the Scotch Fir, Larch, and Spruce Fir, being the principal trees growing in this 

 sandy district. — J. D. Salmon, Thelfwrd, Norfolk, April 12, 1836. f_see p. 388.] 



The Siskin Goldwing (Cardmlis spinus, Stepii.). — The shape of the Siskin 

 Goldwing is neat and tidy, and the tail short and considerably forked. The tints 

 of black and green are beautifully variegated in the male ; of this ordinary 

 observers and even practical ornithologists appear to be little aware. Indeed 

 our writers seem to be little acquainted with the bird, except as a dried skin, 

 when both the size, shape, and colour are usually considerably altered. In con- 

 finement it may be fed on various kinds of small seeds ; and, as I am informed 

 by a London bird-catcher, it is partial to the catkins of the Alder and Willow. 

 When kept in an aviary or small room, it should be provided with the branches 



