Transactions. •*! 



Of these birds, Nos. 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 19, 22, 

 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, have all, once or oftener, had 

 nests within the boundaries of my garden, while Nos. 20 and 

 21 breed in the immediate neighbourhood. Many of them 

 are but chance visitors, giving little opportunity for observa- 

 tion, and I shall, therefore, in the following remarks, as the 

 title of my paper bears, confine myself to recording what I 

 have actually seen. 



The Kestrel is a frequent visitor, evidently for the pur- 

 pose of preying on the Common Sparrows, which congregate 

 on a large thorn near the front of the house. On one occa- 

 sion a fine female bird, when " trjang it on " for a spaiTow, 

 missed her mark, and dashed against the plate glass of the 

 window, which, being luckily the stronger of the two, stunned 

 the intruder, Avho was Hfted in the hand, carried into the 

 house, and on recovery was restored to liberty. This did not 

 appear to have frightened the hawk, for not long after I saw 

 what I believed to be the same bird strike a sparrow, and 

 coolly sit down upon the gi-ass at the foot of the thorn to tear 

 it in pieces. The only visit of the S'parrorv Hcnvh I know 

 of occuiTed exactly a fortnight ago, when a fine male bird 

 "came to grief " against the windows, precisely as the kestrel 

 did, recovered, and was also liberated. When about to set 

 him free, and while holding him finn with one hand, I could 

 not help admiring his bold and defiant bearing even when a 

 captive, and the cleverness with which he struck with his 

 talons at my other hand whenever I put it near enough for 

 him to hit me. The Merlin I can scarcely say I have ob- 

 served. I have only seen it — my attention being drawn to 

 it when high in air, pursued by some small birds, where it 

 appeared like an extra large Swift ; and on one or two other 

 occasions, when flying low, he passed me like a thought. 



The Jackdaw I have noticed, when building his nest in 

 spring, is knowing enough to prey upon the brittle branches 

 of the ash, and he seems to exercise a considerable nicety in 

 his choice of sticks, for I have often seen him break off and 



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