Birds. 7543 



Wood Wren {S. sylvicola). Ditto. 



Willow Wren {S. irochilus). Ditto. 



Chifi'chaS {S.rvfa). Ditto. 



Sylvia f A species previously unliuovvn to me, appearing 



about the same time as the wood wren, to which it is somewhat simi- 

 lar in size and plumage, but not so brightly coloured, particularly 

 upon the back and wings, which are rather of a brownish hue : the 

 tail is slightly forked, and the yellow stripe reaches only from the bill 

 to the eye, instead of extending above the latter. At first 1 imagined 

 it to be a wood wren in immature plumage, although the bird-catchers 

 endeavoured to persuade me that it was a distinct species, and even 

 promised to bring me its eggs. When they did so shortly afterwards, 

 I was still in doubt ; for instead of the nest being like that of a wood 

 wren, to which the bird must be very closely allied, it was shaped like 

 a whitethroat's, and was even made of nearly similar materials, the 

 only difference being that it was more substantially built, and had a 

 little moss in the lining. The eggs were also about the size of those 

 of a wood wren, and were spotted, though less plentifully, with dark 

 brownish red; but the ground colour, instead of being white, was very 

 decidedly pink. At length, after having received other nests, and 

 examined several specimens of the bird itself, 1 became convinced 

 that no deception had been practised, and that it was really a separate 

 species. Probably it may already be a well-known bird, and if so 

 perhaps some kind reader of the ' Zoologist' will set my doubt at rest 

 for ever, that is, of course supposing the above description to be 



intelligible to any one besides myself. 



Henry L. Saxby. 

 Balta Sound, Shetland, 

 April 24, 1861. 



(To be continued). 



Death of "Dr. Brooks," the Old Griffon Vulture, at the Zoological Gardens. — Last 

 week, at tbe Zoological Gardens, died, apparently from sheer old age, a griffon vulture, 

 which for upwards of ihirty-three years had been an inieresting ornament to the col- 

 lection. This bird was presented to the Society in 1828 by Dr. Brooks, and is said to 

 have been by no means young when it came into that gentleman's possession. " Dr. 

 Brooks," as the vuUure was popularly called, in spite of her being of the gentler sex, 

 and having laid eggs at various times, might have been distinguished of late years from 

 her companions by the lighter colour of her plnmage and the faded appearance of her 

 beak. The garb and staid demeanour of old age were gradually assumed, and, as 

 time wore on, appetite began to fail (a bad sign when vultures are concerned), until at 



