7388 Birds. 



Somerleyton, but did not see it. During the present month several black swans have 

 been seen by myself and others. On the 6th I found, in a field, a sparrowhawk which 

 had attacked a starling: I was walking in the field, and observed a curious trail 

 among the snow ; I followed the trail down a hill for a long way, when I heard a 

 curious shrill sound ; on looking about I soon found out the cause. Close by the side 

 of a hedge adjoining a wood were a sparrowhawk and a starling tumbling about in a 

 curious manner ; and on taking them up I found that the lip end of the hawk's wing- 

 feathers were twisted around the toes and claws of the starling, so that, being frozen 

 together, they could not get away from each other. They must have been so for some 

 time, as the trail in the snow extended to a distance exceeding a hundred yards. 

 The incident was witnessed by another person as well as myself. — W. Winler ; 

 Aldehy, near Beccles, January 14, 1861. 



Occurrence of Rare Birds at Scarborough. — I have had the following birds brought 

 to be preserved: — Peregrine falcon (1), roughlegged buzzard (1), gray shrike (1), 

 masked gull (5), common gull (4), Brent goose (1), tufted duck (one pair), goosander 

 (1), merganser (2), cormorant (2), glaucous gull (2), redshank (1), curlew (3), and 

 many other commoner species. — A. Roberts ; King Street, Scarborough, January 7. 



Rare Water Birds occurring near Shrewsbury. — The following rare water birds 

 have been killed at the places named, and sent to me for preservation, during the last 

 month : — 



Bewick's Swan, male (1), Very fine. Shot on the Severn, at Melverley, near 

 Shrewsbury. I have preserved the sternum and tracheae of this bird ; the cavity con- 

 taining the bend of the latter extends to nearly the whole length of the sternum. 



Goosander (4). Two fine males and two females. One pair were killed near 

 Bristol, the other pair on the Severn, near Atcham. 



Brent Goose (1). 



Smew (3). One, a male, in splendid plumage, shot on the Severn, at Wroxeter; 

 the others on the Dee, near Chester. 



Tufted Duck (3, all males). Shot near Bishop's Castle. 



Goldeneye Duck (3). One, a male, in the finest dress. All killed near Shrews- 

 bury, on the Severn. 



Bittern (1). Killed near Churchstoke. 



Little Auk (1). Picked up in an exhausted state near Shiffual. 

 — John Shaw ; 6, Wyle Cop, Shrewsbury, January 31, 1861. 



Rare Birds occurring during the late Frost. — The annexed list bears the record of 

 all the birds which have come under my notice during the lale almost unprecedented 

 weather. The species to which an asterisk is affixed have either been collected by my 

 friend Mr. J. Hamilton, or have been purchased by him at Cambridge market. C. m. 

 denotes obtained in Cambridge market : — 



Shieldrake* (4). C. m. 



Oystercatcher* (2). Captured in Lincolnshire. 



Brent Goose* (14). Cm. 



Goldeneye* (4, adults). C. m. 

 „ female (3). C. m. 



Pochard* (3). C. m. 



Goosander* (8). C. ra. 



Smew,* female (4). C. m. 

 „ * adult male (I). Caught at St. Holland, near Walton-on-the-Naze. 



