FIRST APPEARANCES OF BIRDS, INSECTS, ETC. 259 



Several other contributors send notes, and an interesting list, 

 giving various particulars of the cultivation of barley and 

 wheat since 1898, is sent by Rev. James Cross. 



NOTES ON RARE AND OTHER BIRDS IN 1906. 



GREAT GREY SHRIKE (Lanius exculitor, L.). In the cold 

 snap of snowy and frosty weather, at the end of 1906, three 

 specimens were seen by my son, E. C. Linton, and myself on 

 Dec. zgth at no great distance, and by my son two days later 

 at closer range. On Jan. 2nd, 1907, my son again saw one of 

 them, in the same partially wooded valley. As the gamekeeper 

 had not noticed the birds there is no reason to suppose that its 

 companions had been shot. This rare winter visitor is noted in 

 the Birds of Dorset as having been seen or shot on eight different 

 occasions, the last date given being 1872, when one was shot at 

 Lytchett Matravers. Of the three that we saw one had some- 

 what brighter plumage than the other two, and was presumably 

 a male bird. (Rev. E. F. LINTON.) One seen at Pulham, 

 June 1 8. (J. R.) 



PIED FLYCATCHER (Muscicapa atricapilla, L.). One seen at 

 Swanage by M. M. Hunt, on April 18, and recorded in "The 

 Country Side," Vol. II., p. 361 (May 12, 1906). (E. R. B.) 



GOLDEN ORIOLE (Oriolus galbula, L.). One seen at Remp- 

 stone, near Corfe Castle, by Lieut. A. Smith, R.N., Ap. 22, 1905. 

 (E. R. B.) 



DIPPER (Cinclus aquaticus, Bechstein) NESTING IN EAST 

 DORSET. In his "Birds of Dorsetshire," p. 19 (1888), the 

 late Mr. J. C. Mansel-Pleydell wrote, " The Dipper is only 

 known on the western side of Dorsetshire." It is, however, 

 satisfactory to be able to report that this statement is no longer 

 correct, as the following evidence will show that this interesting 

 bird has been, for some years past, a regular inhabitant of East 

 Dorset. Mr. Leonard Sturdy informs me that a pair nested at 

 Trigon, near Wareham, in 1896, and that this species has 



