7646 Birds. 



tamer in his solitude than hefore, though now quite reconciled to his lot, merry and 

 noisy, as well as having his lovely plumage still in iis beauty. Perhaps for want of 

 any society of his kind, this bird plays with the finger held to him exactly in the same 

 manner as with ihe bill of a companion, caressing it gently, singing to it eagerly, and 

 even endeavouring to show his good will by bestowing the seed he has shelled and 

 swallowed, just as is the constant practice of these loving creatures with each other. 

 This attractive pet has been in his present home about four years. I understand in 

 some rare cases others have been successful in the attempt to rear a brood of shell 

 parrots. — K; Sudbury, May 14, 1861. 



Occurrence of the Golden Oriole and While Stork in Norfolk. — A very beautiful 

 specimen of the golden oriole, a male in full adult plumage, was picked up dead at 

 Felbrigg, near Cromer, about the 17th of last month (May). This bird, which is in 

 the possession of Mr. J. H. Gurney, exhibited no appearance of having been shot, 

 but, although perfect in feathering, had, from some cause, almost wasted away. 

 About the same time a fine old female stork was killed at Woodbaslwich. Solitary 

 birds of this species are not very uncommon in our marshes, but the present example 

 is perhaps worthy of record, since, on being skinned for preservation, it was found to 

 contain an egg apparently ready for immediate extrusion, but a little cracked on one 

 side, caused, most probably, by the fall of the bird when shot. — H.Stevenson; 

 Norwich, June 10, 1861. 



The Golden Oriole at Scilly. — I am pretty sure, from information I received from 

 Mr. Augustus Smith, on his recent visit to the islands, that the golden oriole has been 

 off and on at the islands. I do not much like forwarding to you doubtful information 

 for a record of Natural History, but in this case the reader will be able to form his 

 own opinion when it is said that a bright yellow bird, with black wings and tail, about 

 the size of a blackbird, was seen at .Scilly. — E. Hearle Rodd ; Penzance, June 20. 



Occurrence of ike Golden Oriole at Shalfieet. — A beautiful male specimen of the 

 golden oriole has been shot at Shalfleet, about six miles from here. — Henry Rogers ; 

 Freshwater, Isle of Wight. 



Occurrence of the Roller near the Land's End. — I examined, yesterday, a female 

 adult specimen of the roller, killed last week, in the Land's End district. Mr. Michael 

 Roberts, of this town, who set the bird up, told me that there were well-developed 

 eggs in the ovary. — Id. 



Titmouse Nesting in a Letter-box. — A curious circumstance in Natural History 

 has occurred, or rather is occurring here. Mr. J. Turrill has, by my permission, a 

 letter-box fastened to some palings by my back gate, which opens into the public 

 road. Letters are removed twice a day, and in so doing one side of the box is let 

 completely down. When, however, this door (or side) is closed, the only entrance is 

 the ordinary aperture, measuring in this case three inches by seven-eighths of an 

 inch. In this box a cole tit has built a most elaborate nest, and with such extrava- 

 gance (chiefly, I believe, at the expense of my cows) that, not content with the nest 

 itself, which forms a rearing and sleeping apartment which no feather bed or eider 

 down could match, she has actually thickly lined or carpeted the remaining portion of 

 the box, evidently as a day nursery. In this luxurious suite of apartments she is now 

 bringing up a family of fourteen or sixteen (it is said) ; and so far from being 

 frightened and disturbed by the visits of Her Majesty's deputy or the real owner of the 

 apartment— whom they no doubt regard in the character of landlord, whose rent is to 

 be paid inversely, in the matter of slugs, grubs, &c. — these unfledged interlopers are 



