OBSERVATIONS ON BIRDS. 



alone for several weeks uttering doleful cries, but 

 could never be persuaded to come nearer to be fed. 

 It proved, in the end, that the favourite had been 

 killed; and its stuffed skin was one day recognized, 

 alas ! in a woodman's hut, by the children, who had 

 so assiduously nurtured it and brought it up. 



TAWNY OWL.* 



THIS species appears to be an earlier breeder 

 than any of our other native owls. In some sea- 

 sons I have known the young hatched by the end 

 of March. 



RED-BACKED SHRIKE.f 



I HAVE occasionally examined the stomach of this 

 species, but never found it to contain anything 

 beyond the remains of coleopterous insects. From 

 the statements of other observers, however, it would 

 seem that it does undoubtedly sometimes prey on 

 small birds. 



MISSEL-THRUSH.J 



WHITE observes that the missel-thrush " is called 

 in Hampshire and Sussex the storm-cock, because its 

 song is supposed to forebode windy wet weather." 

 The fact is, that it sings very early in the season, 

 sometimes commencing with the new year: but it 



* Syrnium aluco, Jen. t Lanius collurio, Linn. 



Turdus viscivorus, Linn. 



