Letters, Announcements, H^c. 369 



exercise more than ordinary care on their behalf. They were set 

 loose on the same day at "Plantation," a situation about 1500 

 feet above the sea, clothed with thick vegetation ; fine weather 

 fortunately continued, after they were liberated, for some length 

 of time. It is now a little more than a year since ; and the 

 introduction promises success. The Blackbirds and Thrushes 

 have kept to the same locality ; occasionally one or the other 

 may be seen flying about in the thickets of Oak and Pine trees ; 

 and the song of the Thrush, as well as the Blackbird's notes, 

 are to be heard in the neighbourhood, recalling pleasant home- 

 associations. As a proof that these birds are breeding, it may 

 be mentioned that in May last (the autumn here) a Blackbird's 

 nest, containing four eggs, was seen in the woods at Plantation, 

 and at the present time (spring) a Thrush is sitting upon four 

 eggs in the same locality. It is interesting to note that these 

 birds have kept to the wooded part of the island where they 

 were set loose, while the Sparrows, finding it too unsociable 

 a spot, have migrated over three or four miles to that part 

 where vegetation is more scarce, but houses and human beings 

 more abundant. Not a Sparrow is now to be seen near the 

 place where they were let out originally; but at " Ladder Hill," 

 a barren rocky situation on the sea-coast, at an elevation of GOO 

 feet, where soldiers' barracks, stables, &c. exist, they are to be 

 seen in flights of five or six. Also on the outskirts of James- 

 town, adjacent to Ladder Hill, they may be seen daily hopping 

 about the roadways just as much at home as if they were in the 

 London streets. There can be no doubt that the Sparrow is 

 now well established in the island, and that in time it will prove 

 a very valuable introduction to a place like this, where insects 

 are so very destructive. It is somewhat remarkable that the 

 Sparrows appear to have selected for their head quarters at pre- 

 sent a barren, rocky, unfrequented valley, situated about a mile 

 to the westward of Ladder Hill and Jamestown; from this 

 they visit the latter places during the daytime in search of food 

 and water. 



Of the Linnets I am unable to give a report just yet ; owing 

 to their similarity in shape and colour to the female bird of the 

 local Canary {Crilhayra butyracca), at a distance it is difficult 



