BIRDS SHOT BY THE REV. FRANCIS GISBORNE. 20I 



I2th. 14 Chaffinches, &c., a. o. s., I Wat. Hen, i Waf 

 Rail. 



14th. I Car. Crow. 



19th. I Snpe., I Jack Snpe., I Fid. Fare. 



20th. 5 Pars., 2 of 'em a. o. s. rising. 



22nd. I Magpye, i Fid. Fare. 



24th. White Owl. 



28th. 3 Sparrs., I Par. 



31. I Snpe., I Mallrd. almost eaten up by some bird 

 or vermin, I W. Duck. 



Feb. 3rd. I Large Spotted Woodpecker, Cock Bird, i Snpe. 

 on ground, 



4th. I Par., I J. Daw, I Magpye wingd., left. 



5th. I Snpe., I J. Snpe., i Fid. Fare. 



Mar. 3rd. I Heron, weighd 4 lbs. ! 



5th. 2 W. Cocks (at Mr. Gisb. of Derby.). 



I2th. I Mallrd., 2 Mallrds., i Duck, i Mallrd. 



14th. 2 Mallrds., I Duck, i Mallrd., i Rook, 



i6tli. I Car. Crow. 



17. I Snpe. 



iSth, I Red-Headd, Crested Female Smew, '5«) 



wd. 19 oz, 

 2 1 St. I Male Kestrel. 

 22nd. 2 Snpes. 



25th. I Mallrd,, i Wat. Hen, i Small Pike, I do. 

 26th. I Mallrd., i Snpe., i Wheatear, i Lapwing. 



the Badminton Series ("Shooting in Moor and Marsh," p. 149.) A 

 Snipe always sits with his back to the wind. I watched a wisp of these birds 

 settle upon a favourite boggy spot in Staveley about two winters ago, which 

 might have been bagged in the same manner as the bird in question. A propos 

 of Jack Snipes, the following story was told to me by my father, "These 

 birds are known to afford continuous sport by most provokingly settling again 

 and again within easy shooting range. And in the days of the French wars, 

 when French prisoners were quartered here and there in England, one of these 

 little birds, whose habitat was in a marsh close to the high road, was flushed 

 repeatedly, and as repeatedly missed by one of several French officers on parole 

 in a southern county. Time went on, and at length peace was signed, and 

 intimation was given to ' Monsieur ' that he might return to his native country. 

 The coach which conveyed him to the nearest seaport traversed the high road 

 which lay contiguous to the Jack Snipe's favourite haunt. ' Stay one moment j' 

 he cried to the coachman, on reaching this spot, ' while I have a last look at my 

 friend, the Snipe.'' He sprang from the coach, entered the boggy covert. Up 

 rose the Snipe. Alas ! for the last time. For the bird was knocked down by the 

 long lash of the coachman's whip ! ! " 



'■^^'z Red-Headed Crested Female Smew (Mergus albellus). — Is only to be 

 seen m very severe winters. 



