CORRESPONDENCE, PL 
song here on the 4th of this month. This is not in accordance with 
“in June he changes his tune.” Rooks were very irregular in hatching 
this soason. I heard young calling from the nests from April 16th till 
June 2nd. I was told of a fine male Cirl Bunting observed at Chinnor, 
a few miles from Thame, in this county, on the 13th inst.; it was not at 
all shy, and allowed my informant to get within a yard or two of it. 
Allow me to assure Mr. Macaulay that I am not offended with his 
assertion with regard to the Wryneck ; if he will refer to my notes in the 
June number, he will see that I was aware I had not made it a certainty. 
About ten years ago, two, a pair probably, of Great Grey Shrikes were 
killed near Hook Norton, about eight miles from here, at-the end of 
March or beginning of April, (March that year being very warm.) Oneis 
in the possession of Mr. J. Gardner, of Warwick, who had them both in 
the flesh, and who kindly furnished me with the particulars. I fancy 
this was rather late for them to be here, considering it was a mild spring ; 
and it seems as if they might possibly have bred in the neighbourhood 
had they been left.—O. V. Artin, Bodicote, Oxon, July 19th, 1879. 
OrnitHotocicaL NotEs.—The migrant season being over, I have very 
little to communicate. In my last notes “ common flycatcher” should be 
“pied flycatcher.” A Greater Tit, Parus major, built her nest in a strange 
place—a letter box. The box is about eighteen inches deep, and the 
opening for letters at the top, in front, 34in. wide by lin. deep, and through 
this the parent birds conveyed the necessary materials for the nest. The 
nest was built on the bottom of the box, and during the building, laying, 
sitting, and rearing and feeding the young brood, the box was daily used 
by the postman, every letter and paper being dropped into the slit above 
and falling on to the young birds, or on to the parent sitting, yet no 
notice was taken of the disturbance. The box had an opening, falling 
outwards on a level with the nest, and through this the letters, &c., were 
daily removed without any apparent notice on the part of the old bird, 
who often remained on the nest during the operation. On one occasion, 
I visited the nest a few days after the young were hatched, and opening 
the flap, not only inspected the bird on the nest, but first stroked her 
gently with my hand, and then finally lifted her off the nest and 
released her, which she allowed me to do without manifesting the 
slightest fear. I have in my collection two Thrush’s eggs, taken this 
year, no larger than a Redbreast’s. I have also seen this season two 
eggs of the same bird, curious as a variety. The ground colour is a 
lighter blue than usual, and the spots are reddish brown instead of 
black, much the same in colour as the Missel Thrush’s. Ido not know 
whether this variety is common or not, but I have not met with it 
before. The Nightingale was last heard here on the 24th June.—T. 
Macaunay, M.R.C.S.L., &c., Kibworth. a 
SEA-BIRDS IN BrruincHam.—The unsettled weather of late has brought 
under the observation of Mr. W. Wyatt, of the Edgbaston Reservoir, the 
following sea-birds:—Larus canus, L., two or three; Larus, (species 
uncertain,) immature; Sterna fluviatilis, (Naum.,) or Sterna macrura, 
(Naum.,) two; and one Colymbus septentrionalis, Lath., immature. As 
usual, one or two Grebes, Podiceps cristatus, L., visited the pool, but, 
engl not interfered with, did not remain for long.—Monvacu Browne, 
Buack Band 1n tHE Drirt.—(See antec, p. 189.) This deposit should 
be carefully examined: it may agree with the black implement-bearing 
bed at West Stow, Bury St. Edmunds, in which vegetable remains, fine 
bones, hairs, &c., are found in association with implements and flakes of 
Paleolithic age. Flint-flakes should be looked for, and the material of 
the black band carefully examined under the microscope.—W. G. Smrrx, 
125, Grosvenor Road, Canonbury, London, N. 
