180 Reply to Observations in the Edinburgh Journal, 



Subgen. 2. Hirundo. 



1. Hirundo urbica, Marten. These birds build in the cliffs at W em- 



bury, near Plymouth, as well as about houses. 



2. Hirundo riparia, Sand marten. Builds in the sandy cliffs at 



Thurlestone, near Kingsbridge, and on the banks of our rivers. 

 If much disturbed, they forsake the spot. 



3. Hirundo rustica, Swallow. These birds, and the three former 



species, appear to approach our districts in successive flocks 

 previous to their departure, as I have often ascertained, by 

 noticing that each flock differed from another ; sometimes there 

 being only swifts, then swallows and martens, then martens only ; 

 and others being accompanied by sand martens. They roost, in 

 autumn, in the low brushwood of plantations near Dartmoor. 

 Gen. Caprimu'lgus. 



1. Caprimulgus europae v us, Nightjar. Common about the South 

 Hams of Devonshire, where they frequent orchards. 



Fam. iv. Tenuirbstres. 



Gen. Si'tta. 



1. Sitta europae v a, Nuthatch. Common. 

 Gen. Ce'rthia. 



1. Certhia familiaris, Creeper. Common. 

 Gen. LPpupa. 



1. LTpupa E'pops, Hoopoe. Several have been obtained here: one 

 was shot at Warleigh, the seat of the Rev. Walter Radcliffe ; 

 another by Mr. Comyns, in September, 1828, on Kenton Warren. 

 Two are in the collection of J. Newton, Esq., of Bridestow, near 

 Tavistock. In 1827, two out of a flock were shot at Saltram, 

 by Lord Morley's keeper ; and three were obtained near Ply- 

 mouth in 1830. Specimens are in the collection at Ham, at Mr. 

 Rowe's, Mr. Drew's, and Bolitho's. 

 Gen. Me^rops. 



1. Merops Apiaster, Bee-eater. A fine specimen was shot at 

 Leigham in April, 1818; another at Ivybridge, in 1822; another 

 is in Mr. Rowe's collection ; and a flock of eleven was seen at 

 Helston, Cornwall, in 1828; all of which were captured. 

 Gen. Alce^do. 



1. Alcedo ispida, Kingfisher. These birds frequent our rivers all 

 the year, and are always to be found among the sea weeds, at 

 low water, in winter, where they feed on insects. I have seen 

 one pounce on a butterfly in summer; so that their food does not 

 appear to be exclusively fish. 

 Plymouth, March 3. 1837. 



Art. IV. Letter from Golding Btrd, Esq., F.L.S. F.G.S., 

 Lecturer on Experimental Philosophy at Guy's Hospital, in 

 Reply to some Observations published in the " Edinburgh Journal 

 of Natural History," upon the Cause of Vegetable Divergence. 



The editor of the Edinburgh Journal of Natural History 

 has, I perceive, in the number for this present month, given a 

 very nearly verbatim copy of my paper (Mag. of Nat. Hist., 

 n. s., vol. i. p. 57.) on the cause of the divergence of divided 

 stems ; and has appended to it some observations, in which he 



