APPENDIX. 369 



given to me by a Friend, on the 1st of October, 1793/^ Here 

 follows the description. He then states, " There can be 

 little Doubt of this being the Scolopax Major of Latham, 

 tho^ my Specimen is inferior in Size and Weight to the 

 Bird described by him, and seems to differ also somewhat in 

 the Colour of its Plumage; perhaps this Species is subject to 

 Variety.'" 



He ohserves of the Flycatcher : — " It is the latest of all 

 the Summer Birds of Passage, as I have known but one 

 Instance, in Three and Twenty Years, of its Appearance 

 before May, and that only two Days sooner, viz., 29th of 

 April ; perhaps because its Principal Food, Flies, do not 

 abound till that Time. However, it can feed on Fruit, and 

 is reckoned very mischievous in Gardens, on account of its 

 eating Cherries.''^ — Now that this is quite a mistake I have no 

 doubt. I suppose whoever gave Mr. Mark wick his information 

 had mistaken the Garden Warbler, which is very fond of 

 cherries, for the Spotted Flycatcher. — Wm. Borrer. 



Of the Siskin, Mr. Mark wick observes that " It is a Bird of 

 Passage. Mr. Latham says it is not unfrequent in England 

 in the Winter Season, but I have never seen it here at that 

 Time ; the earliest of my observing it was on the 5th of 

 April, 1768, and, in the Year 1780, I first saw it on the 10th 

 of April, and it continued with us till the 30th of the same 

 Month. I have seen it hanging back downwards, like a 

 Titmouse, as Mr. Latham describes it, picking the Seeds out 

 from the Cones of Fir Trees, which at that time began to 

 open from the Heat of the Sun. Its Stay with us is not 

 above a Fortnight or three Weeks at the Farthest.'^ 



Of the Lesser Redpoll he says: — "This Bird, which I 

 received from a Friend, was killed on the 27th of November, 

 1797 ; it is very rare in this Neighbourhood, being the only 

 Specimen I ever saw.^'' 



Of the Waxwing, Mr. Markwick says : — " The Bird from 

 which I drew the figure was killed in this Neighbourhood 

 about the middle of February, 1801,^' Here follows a 



