Birds. 764 1 



that I liave recenlly heard from a friend that a gentleman's gardener in this neigh- 

 bourhood boasts of having, during the last season, shot six hundred little birds, among 

 which, doubtless, were many of our rarer songsters, and the beautiful bullfinch loo, a 

 specially persecuted species by gardeners, ou account of the injury, real or imaginary, 

 it does to the budding fruit trees. It is also preyed on by birdcatcbers, both professsional 

 and unprofessional, and though many of the females may be spared, still, as it is not 

 a polygamous rhce, there is reason to fear that it will ere long become scarce, if not 

 extinct. Formerly they made me periodical visits, feeding on the privet berries, but 

 of late years none have appeared. During the late severe winter hundreds of thrushes 

 must have been shot by idle men and boys, but for that the country ladies and gentle- 

 men are not responsible. But I would suggest to all those who have a taste for straw- 

 berries, and not for music, that they forthwith supply their gardeners with nets, which 

 are now procurable at moderate rates ; besides this would obviate the necessity for 

 powder and shot. To those who are lovers of birds more than of fruit no appeal is 

 needed ; they vill never grudge so small a portion of the produce of the garden or 

 orchard in return for the cheering song, or in consideration of the services rendered 

 by most species in destroying the innumerable insects that iufest our gardens during 

 the summer mouths. Having called attention to this deplorable case, I trust the editor 

 will take the matter up, and stigmatize such heartless and selfish acts as they deserve. 

 I say selfish, for the parties concerned should reflect that they are depriving their 

 neighbours of what they may value more than the choicest fruit, A market gardener 

 might perhaps be excused, as there would be extenuating circumstances to plead, but for 

 the gentleman there are none. It is fearful even to contemplate — if this be a fair average 

 of birds destroyed on most properties — what the grand total would amount to could 

 returns be obtained of birds killed by gardeners every summer in the United King- 

 dom.— /fenry Hadfield ; Venlnor, Isle of Wight, May 20, 1861. 



Exlraordinary Assemblage of Birds. — A most extraordinary disturbance among 

 the feathered tribes occurred at Start Lighthouse a few nights since. Between ten 

 and eleven o'clock the man on duty was surprised at discovering that a great number 

 of birds kept flying against the lantern of the building. On going out he found, to 

 use his own words, that they were like a swarm of bees, flying around and against the 

 glass of the lantern, and dropping either dead or much exhausted. The wiud at the 

 time was blowing hard from the north-east with rain ; after some time it became much 

 calmer, the birds continuing to fly against the lantern, and increasing in numbers as 

 it became more calm, until finally they reached the immense number of six hundred 

 and ninety-two, which he picked up dead. He had the curiosity to weigh them, and 

 their weight amounted to about 34 fbs. They consisted chiefly of sky larks, house 

 sparrows, and several varieties of the smaller kinds of birds, amongst which was a 

 cuckoo. This disturbance seems unaccountable : it evidently could not be any migratory 

 flock, for then they would have been all of one species, whereas there were of several, 

 and such a circumstance has never, we believe, happened before. — Kindly communi- 

 cated by Charles Prideanx, Esq., F.L.S. 



Arrival of Su7nmer Birds at Blackhealh. — The long frost and snow, the severe 

 winter and the cold spring, have delayed the arrival of the summer birds of passage. 

 The nightingale was heard in Shooter's Hill Wood on the 11th of April. April 17ih, 

 .saw a redstart ; 19lh, a whiiethroat ; 22nd, one swallow flying due west, high over 

 Shooter's Hill, one willow wren, two whitethroats ; 26th, one swallow, one night- 

 ingale, willow wrens, whitethroats, redstarts; 28th, one swallow at Chiselhurst, and 



VOL. XIX. 2 Y 



