Letters, Extracts from Correspondence, Notices, ^c. 223 



party of six Knots {Tringa canutus) came across, and all were 

 secured at the same pull. If we take four as the supposed 

 number of eggs laid by this bird, we have here the whole 

 family, which had, most likely, that very day arrived from their 

 breediug-giound in some unknown land, concerning the situ- 

 ation of which 1 wish they could tell us. What took them into 

 the net I cannot make out : I have known many birds do the 

 same, without any apparent object. A Hobby [Falco subbuteo), 

 now alive in my possession, was thus caught : the "reason why " 

 he went there we understand ; but what takes Knots and Cross- 

 bills, &c., in ? The only motive I can assign is curiosity — fatal to 

 many besides the tribe of Aves. It is very strong, we are aware, 

 in some species. I have seen a good deal of rearing birds from 

 the nest, and am often astonished to observe with what different 

 dispositions and characters they are hatched, which variations 

 they preserve through life. I find in the same brood the 

 greedy, the quarrelsome, the timid, and the mischievous. Of 

 some Lesser Black-backed Gulls {Larus fitscus) kept in my 

 garden, the prevaiHng characteristic of Mr. Jack is mischief; 

 and his tricks, if related, would fill a small book — too much, 

 therefore, for the patience of your readers : Bob, one of his com- 

 panions, on the contrary, is the most quiet, unobtrusive creature 

 possible — presenting the most marked difference. But to return 

 to our Knots : a male and female of these were put into Sways- 

 land's aviary, where I saw them. Certainly, if Sterne had ap- 

 plied to them in the place of the Starling, we should have lost a 

 very pretty bit of sentiment ; for instead of " We can't get out," 

 it was nothing but " We are ready to stop in," and this at once 

 apparently regardless of everybody. I never saw anything like 

 their tameness and affection towards each other. 



Two Fire-crested Wrens [Regulus ignicapillus) were obtained 

 by Mr. Svvaysland, in his garden, October 15, three being ob- 

 served, all in company with Cole-Tits {Parus ater). One of the 

 latter only was seen to enter the net ; on going up, however, a 

 Regulus ignicapillus was also found ; another flew in, a few 

 minutes after ; a third escaped. Comparing these with about 

 a dozen specimens of the common sort {Regulus cristatus), I was 

 surprised to find that the epithet " fire-crested " would apply 



