Birds. 7427 



bird is an uncommon visitant here, and usually occurs but in very severe winters. — 

 John Joseph Briggs (in the ' Field ') ; King's Newton , Derbyshire. 



Kestrel Nesting in a Hollow Tree. — I was somewhat surprised that Mr. Newman 

 in bis " Collected Observations on the Nests and Eggs of British Birds," (Zool. 

 7396), when describing the situation of the nest of the kestrel should notice as 

 unusual its being built iu a hollow pollard oak, as in one of the only instances I 

 can call to mind of finding the nest it was similarly situated, that is, in a hollow 

 stump. The tree was in the vicinity of Bognor, and some boys had just 

 succeeded in climbing up and abstracting the eggs previous to our arriving at 

 the spot, and told us that the two owls (as they culled them, on account of their 

 feathered legs) had been flying round the tree while they were engaged in their work 

 of spoliation. We purchased the eggs from them, and they proved to be those of the 

 kestrel. — John Henry Bel/rage ; 7, Neiv Inn, Strand, March 5, 1861. 



Occurrence of the Buzzard near Sivansea. — A buzzard was caught in a rabbit trap 

 on the lOlh inst. at Bryn-awel in this neighbourhood. It is a female specimen, and 

 measures from the tip of the beak to the end of the tail, 22 inches ; across the wings, 

 4 feet 1 inch ; and weighs 2tbs. 6^ ounces. — D. Williams ; 56, Wind Street, Stoansea, 

 February 14, 1861. 



Habits of the Swallowtailed Al/e (Falco furcatus) tn Guatemala. — Proceeding on 

 our journey, and passing over the brow of a hill which rose considerably above those 

 surrounding us, we suddenly saw, on the slope beneath us, a large number of swallow- 

 tailed kites gliding backwards and forwards through the air, directly over the road 

 which we were pursuing. Tliey were near the ground, many of them within ten or 

 twelve yards of il, and numbered from a hundred and fifty to twice that quantity. 

 They were closely packed, not one straggling for a moment from the rest, and reminded 

 one of our English swifts (Cypseltis apus) as they congregate in flight round an old 

 and lofiy edifice. My companion was surprised, no less than myself, to find so many 

 of these birds in company ; for, according to the experience of the Coban hunters, they 

 generally go in pairs, although three or four may be occasionally met with together. 

 A few yards of precipitous descent brought us immediately under the birds and into a 

 swarm of bees upon which they were feeding. The swarm was slowly skirting the 

 hill in compact order, its persecutors sweeping through and through it, with wings 

 extended, and their scissor-like tails widely opened. Their flight was not at all rapid, 

 but steady and powerful, no movement of the wings being perceptible. Our intrusion 

 upon their feeding-ground did not cause them the slightest alarm ; not even when ray 

 companion's delight at the novelty of the sight we were witnessing began to manifest 

 itself in hints and signs, which I strove in vain to quell, did they seem to take the 

 slightest notice of us. — Robert Owen, in ^Ibis,' ii. 241. 



Occurrence of the Nest of the Rediving (Tavdus iliacus) «7i North Wales. — About 

 the middle of May, 1855, 1 was so fortunate as to discover a redwing's nest in a garden 

 at Maintwrog, North Wales. It was placed in the heart of a large bay tree, at about 

 eight feet from the ground, and was composed outwardly of moss, coarse roots, twigs, 

 dead weeds, and a few shreds of old muslin ; the lining consisted of fine grass, spread 

 upon a thick, smooth layer of mud. It contained four eggs, very much resembling 

 those of a blackbird, but rather smaller, of a pale greenish blue colour, minutely 

 speckled with two shades of orange-brown and reddish gray. In form and construction 

 the nest was somewhat peculiar, being far neater than that of a blackbird, though much 

 heavier and clumsier than that of a song thrush. I repeatedly saw the bird upon the 



