1849] A Beginner's Error. g 



in July (Zool. 2526). This correction is the more desirable, since all the 

 birds of that species hitherto seen in England, with the exception of the 

 young bird recorded by Mr. Jenyns, have occurred in the winter months 

 from November to March, and my erroneous record might seem to 

 favour the opinion that the bird builds in this country a fact scarcely 

 yet established. My mistake arose from rinding a bird apparently 

 young (from the yellow skin at the gape), and yet with a crest more 

 brilliant than that of an adult male Gold-crest with which it was com- 

 pared ; while the form and character of the bill and tail appeared to 

 agree with the description of the young Fire-crest. From' what I have 

 since learned, I believe my bird to have been a young Gold-crest in its 

 second plumage. 



A. G. MORE. 



His first communication (which, besides the unlucky 

 supposed Fire- crest, recorded the appearance of some Cross- 

 bills at Bembridge), is the only note which he published 

 in 1849 ; but from this time he kept manuscript notes of 

 arrivals of all migrants (regular or irregular), which were 

 either observed by himself or reported to him on good 

 authority in any part of the Isle of Wight. The home at 

 Bembridge was very favourably situated for the observa- 

 tion of the spring migrants. The Nightingale's rich music 

 was a characteristic feature of the spot, and the Grass- 

 hopper Warbler's " amusing chirp " could be heard every 

 evening throughout the summer ; while the Redstart, Black- 

 cap, Whinchat, and other species, on their spring passage, 

 often rested here in conspicuous numbers, before dispersing 

 generally over the country. But autumn brought a still 

 larger train of interesting birds ; and the resident avifauna 

 included such noble species as the Peregrine, the constant 

 robbery of whose eyries was to the young naturalist a 

 source of ever-recurring indignation. 



Occasional indulgence in verse was one of his minor 

 hobbies, and the following lines, forming part of a ballad 

 which he entitled, " Ye Prayse of Vectisse," enumerate 

 some of the local associations amid which these years were 

 spent : 



Where Ryde her long white terraces 



Turns to the Solent's tide ; 

 Where yachts lie off, in triple line, 



Our Island's darling pride ; 



