26 Mr. Yarrell's Account of rare British Birds, 



eye is suspended in this species is particularly large and strong. 

 This flexible ring formed byanumber of small bones was considered 

 to be peculiar only to the diurnal and nocturnal birds of prey; the 

 increased power of vision, at very different distances, depending 

 on minute muscular and mechanical arrangements, assisting them 

 in their search for objects of food : but in occasional examinations 

 of birds, I have found these bony rings in the Green Woodpecker, 

 the Great Plover, the Grey Phalarope and the Northern Diver, 

 as well as in many other birds equally varied in form and habits. 

 The most remarkable of the bony rings I have yet seen is in the 

 Wood Owl (Strix Stridula) corresponding very closely in form 

 to the watchmaker's eye-glass. 



The Osprey (Falco Haliceetus^) occurred twice in this month ; 

 one, a very fine male, was shot near Petersfield, Hants, the other, 

 a female, in Hertfordshire. 



A female of the Skua Gull (Lestris Catarractes^) was killed 

 in Somersetshire. 



December. Two specimens of the Northern Diver (Colymbus 

 glacialis,) both young birds, were shot on the Norfolk coast. The 

 London market produced four spotted Redshanks, (the Scolopax 

 Totanus of Gmelin, the Totanus fuscus of Leister) ; these birds 

 were in perfect winter plumage, and considered rare. The figure 

 in Bewick's beautiful engravings is an exact representation of a 

 young bird of the year. 



1825. January. Three or four specimens of the Ash-coloured 

 Shrike (Lanius Excubiior,) occurred this month ; one was shot 

 in Hampshire, a second in Bedfordshire, and a third was taken in 

 a clap-uet, near London, by a bird-catcher, in the act of striking 

 at his decoy linnet. This bird fed well in confinement several days, 

 taking small birds or raw meat from the hand, but was very eagerly 

 parted with by his new master, on finding that the note of the 

 Shrike,' once heard, had stopped the songs of all his wild birds. 



The Hawfinch (Loxia Coccoihraustes, L.) was shot near Notting 

 Hill on the Uxbridge Road, and two others were taken by a party 

 Batfowling. 



February. The Little A.uk {Aka AllCy L.) was shot on the coast 

 of Sussex. 



