Birds. 7643 



the claws, which are black ; soles brownish. Inside of raouth light cobalt-gray, with 

 more or less flesb-colour. O^sopbagus about ^ wide, distended at the proventriculiis 

 to about an inch or over, this with the stomach assuming the shape of a somewhat 

 flattened pear, and the whole in length 3-|, widest part 2 inches. The coat of stomach 

 thin and smooth, both inside and outside, with no visible muscles. Contents, remains 

 of large fish. Intestines rery long and thin, and varying from ^ to -^ in thickness; -j^ at 

 the rectum. CcEca situate Z^ from the anus, ovate and adnate, white, and about 

 ^ long. Testicles white, round and soft, about i long. I have also to record from Swatow 

 the first bittern I have as yet seen from China, though it is natural to suppose, from its 

 general distribution throughout Asia, that it must be common in some parts of this empire. 

 This bird answers perfectly to the description of Botaurus stellaris in Macgillivray, but 

 is somewhat smaller, as will be seen by the following measurements. Length, 27^ 

 inches. Wing, 12. Tail 4^. Bill along culmeu, 2^ ; along the edge of under 

 mandibles, S^. Tarsi, Sfj. Hind toe, 1^; its claw, 1^. Outer toe, 2^; its claw, ^. 

 Middle toe, 3^ ; its claw, 1. Inner toe, 2-^; its claw, 1. A phalarope has also fre- 

 quently been shot at Swatow. One man told me he shot no less than twenty of these 

 birds out of a very large flock. One could not well be mistaken in the bird, from its 

 conspicuously liibed feet. I have not been successful in procuring specimens, and 

 cannot ibeiefore refer it to any of the known species. Nearly every winter I am told these 

 birds occur at Swatow, and are sometimes even found as late as April. The Chinese 

 tell a wonderful story about their incubating their eggs under their wings while sitting 

 on the water. I myself saw some years ago, about mid Formosa Channel, a flock of 

 little sandpiper-like birds settling on the surface of a smooth sea : these I took to be 

 phalaropes, but they might have been TringiE, as I have known the latter to both 

 swim and dive expertly when wounded ; moreover from later accounts we learn that 

 many land birds settle to rest on the water during their migration. — Robert S win hoe ; 

 British Consulate, Amoy, April 5, 1861. 



Blackbird with White Head and Neck. — The other day a fine cock blackbird was 

 shot in this neighbourhood. The bill was bright orange as usual ; the bead and neck 

 of a snow-while ; some of the feathers on the breast are of a dark mahogany colour, 

 and there is a little white about the wings ; it is being preserved for a gentleman 

 whose gamekeeper shot it, and is a very pretty specimen. — Philip Crowley, Alton, 

 April 22, 1861. 



Number of Eggs of the Dipper. — Mr. John P. Thomasson (Zool. 7544), com- 

 menting on Mr. Newman's article upon Birds' Eggs, says that he has more frequently 

 found four eggs in the nest of the dipper than five (the number stated by Mr. New- 

 man) ; and he adds that in one instance he found a nest wiih only three young birds. 

 My own experience goes to reconcile the apparent discrepancy between the two state- 

 ments. I have never found less than five eggs in nests built in the month of March ; 

 later in the season I have usually found four, especially when I knew the eggs first 

 laid to have been taken ; and on one occasion, when, contrary to my instructions, the 

 second laying of four eggs were also taken, I have known the bird to lay a third time, 

 and on that occasion she only laid three eggs. I know also, positively, that the 

 dipper, even when not disturbed or robbed, will rear two broods in the season, and 

 that the second brood is usually smaller than the first. — R. Harvey ; Leek Glebe, 

 Co. Donegal. 



The Reed Warbler near Hull. — As I see in my edition of Yarrell that it is said 

 the reed warbler has not been observed beyond Lincolnshire, I venture, at the risk of 



