310 _BIRDS OF THE DISTRICT. 
it on the marsh at the mouth of the river. Probably breeds at 
Ince, but is scarce [R.N.] Fairly common at Combermere 
(Lord C.] and Little Budworth [A.P.W.]; and at Edge Hall, 
where it is carefully preserved [C.W.D.] On the banks of 
Dee and Alyn [A.D.]; but Mr. R. H. V. Kyrke says that about 
fifteen years ago they seemed to die off wholesale, and to become 
nearly extinct there. Frequent along the Dee in the Merioneth- 
shire slip, and on the upper part of the Clwyd [T.R.] Almost 
or quite extinct at Colwyn Bay [A.O.W.} 
“‘A rather scarce resident. It is much sought for its beauty.” 
(Br. p. 5.) 
Upupa epops. Hoopoe. 
Mr. A. O. WALKER has seen a stuffed Hoopoe at Coed Coch, 
which Mrs. Lioyp-Wywnng, a reliable authority, told him was 
shot on the lawn there. This was confirmed by the old butler, 
whom Mr. WALKER saw on January 24th this year. He says it 
was fifteen or sixteen years ago. 
Mr. WALKER discovered the following note in an old Chester 
Courant: ‘‘ A very curious bird was shot on Sunday morning in 
the garden of Mrs. Boxps, of the Bars, in this city. It is 
accurately described by PENNanr in his Zoology as the Hoopoe; 
has a beautiful crest, which it raises or falls at pleasure when 
alive. It is found in some parts of Europe, in Egypt, and even 
as remote as Ceylon in the East Indies Apam.” (Chester 
Courant, September 11th, 1792.) 
*Cuculus Canorus. Cuckoo. 
An abundant summer visitor. (Br p. 9.) The usual birds 
chosen as foster mothers in our district are the Meadow-Pipit, 
Hedge-Sparrow, and Pied Wagtail; Mr. Cookson mentions 
also the Skylark and Yellow- Hammer; and Mr. W. H. Heaton 
the Tree-Pipit ; while LorD CoMBERMERE, Mr. R. H.V. Kyrke, 
and Mr. R. NEwstTEaD, Senr., all note the Robin; an observa- 
tion recorded also by Mr. Ecroyp Situ, at West Kirby. 
(Liverpool Nat. Journ., Sept., 1867, p. 166.) 
A most interesting account of a Cuckoo and a Swallow being 
reared in the same nest at Edge Hall, near Malpas, was 
published by the Rev. C. Wo.tey-Dop in the Jérs for 
October, 1892 (p. 524.) 
Order STRIGES. 
*Strix Flammea. Barn-Owt. 
A fairly common resident, and generally distributed. Nested 
annually in the old tower of Chester Cathedral before its 
restoration. For some years a pair have bred under the roof 
of Abbots’ Lodge, Liverpool Road, Chester. Mr. HEnry 
