166 



THE NATURALIST. 



Loxia curvirostra. dc. — I dare say 

 it will not be uninteresting to lovers 

 of Ornithology to learn that I have 

 a very fine specimen of Loxia curvi- 

 rostra (Lin.) alive. His colours are 

 remarkably bright, and he is very 

 tame, considering the short time he 

 has been in captivity. Concerning 

 this bird I have heard a curious 

 story, namely, that it changes to 

 quite a different hue after every 

 moult. I was assured that my bird, 

 which is at present quite orange- 

 coloured, will moult green. I went 

 to one or two bird-fanciers in Lon- 

 don about it, and was assured that 

 such was the case. I can hardly 

 believe this, and should be glad to 

 hear of any cases similar through 

 your interesting paper. Among my 

 other pets I may mention a specimen 

 of Fr'wgllla spiniis (Lin.) which has 

 just got through its moult and has 

 turned out a beauty. I am con- 

 sidered most fortunate in having 

 brought him safely through the 

 summer, and was told that he was 

 worth half-a-guinea. I would not 

 take three times that sum, for he is 

 the tamest of birds and will go 

 through a number of tricks. He is 

 undoubtedly the brightest I ever 

 saw, and being a good call-bird I 

 hope with the aid of my cages and 

 other traps to catch a good many, 

 as they are plentiful among the alder 



trees at Cookham in the winter. Last 

 week a fine male specimen oiColumha 

 turlur (Lin.) was shot and stuffed by 

 Mr. Briggs of Formosa, and is at 

 present in my possession. A pair 

 of Plcus minor (Lin.) have built in a 

 high elm tree in the beautiful 

 grounds of Formosa, near Cookham, 

 in the possession of G. de Vitre, 

 Esq. A few years ago a pair built 

 in the same neighbourhood and the 

 nest was taken by Mr. Briggs, the 

 gardener, for the celebrated Mr. 

 Gould. He climed a tree seventy 

 feet high and sawed off the branch 

 which contained the nest, and let it 

 down from that height to the ground, 

 a most perilous feat. A fine young 

 male of Cuculus canorus (Lin.) was 

 shot on the 28th of July, and was 

 stuffed by the above-named Mr. 

 Briggs, and is at present in my pos- 

 session. — R. B. Sharpe. 



Ornithological Notes from Norfolk. 

 — I had sent me recently an exqui- 

 sitely fine pair of adult Hen Harriers 

 [Falco cyaneus,'Lin.,) shot in Wales, 

 and from this neighbourhood a nice 

 clean example of the Whimbrel {Nu- 

 menius phccopus, Lath.,) which ap- 

 pear to have returned from their 

 northern breeding stations, as I have 

 seen several pairs upon our beach. 

 The specimens under consideration 

 have commenced moulting, as has 

 the Dunlin. I find the two species 

 named, and a few Blackheaded 

 Gulls [Larus ridibundus, Lin.,) are 



