9618 Birds. 



migrants observed during the present year in the neighbourhood of Worthing, with 

 the earliest dates at which they were noticed: for many of these particulars I am 

 indebted to Mr. Well?, birdstuffer, of Worthing: — 

 March 25. Wheatear. 

 Apiil 1. Darlfurd Warbler, male and female, on the Downs. 



„ 4, Yellow Wagtail. 



„ 6. Greater Whitelbroat, Chimney Swallow and Black Redstart (male). 



„ 8. Thickknee. 



„ 9. Willow Wren and Cliiffchaff. 



„ 14. Cuckoo. Hoopoe at Patching. 



„ 15. Redstart and Nightingale. 



„ 17. Garden Waibler. 



„ 18. Sedge Warbler. 



„ 20. Blackcap, Tree Pipit. House Jfartin and Lesser Whitethroat. 



„ 24. Two addiiional Hoopoes at Patching. 



„ 28. Pied Flycatcher. Dartford Warbler (male) exhausted on the beach. 



„ 29. Tuitle Dove and Swifi. 



„ 30. Spotted Flycatcher. 

 — J. H. Gurney ; Worthing, May 6, 18fi5. 



Two Younrj Cuckoos and an Egf/ in a Meadow Pipit's Nest. — During an interview 

 with a friend of mine a short time since, I happened lo make a few remarks respecting 

 the curious propensity of the cuckoo in the laying of its egg in the nests of other species, 

 when he informed me of a singular instance ihat came under his notice last breeding 

 season. A respectiible young man, named Dunn, with whom he is acquainted, was 

 out egg-collecting with a companion, on Mousehold Heath, near this city, one afier- 

 niion during the summer, when he discovered a nest of Auihus pratensis, situated 

 undercoverof a furze-bush. Thry were both much surprised to find that it contained, in 

 addition to two of the owner's offspring, two younjr individuals of Cuculuscanorus and 

 an addled e^g of the same species: they took posses<:ion of the nest and its occupants, 

 and br((ughl them home, when my friend had an excellent opportunity of seeinjf them 

 himself. Knowing this circumstance to be of rather unusual occurrence I take this 

 opportunity of placinyr ihe facts before the readers of the ' Zoologist 'just as I received 

 them from my (riend, and on whose statement I can place every possible reliance. — 

 T. E. Giinn ; Nonvir/i, April, 18(55. 



Eared Grebe near Barnstaple. — I have the pleasure of recordin? the occurrence on 

 the River Taw, near Barnstaple, of a fine male example of this scarce bird. It was 

 shot, on the 7lh insi., by a boatman of the town, who tells me that when he killed it 

 it was in company with four others of its own species. This is the first time, to my 

 knowledge, that it has been noticed in the north of Devon. The bird, which is in beau- 

 tiful summer plumage, is now in my possession, and it was by the merest piece of good 

 Inck that I managed (o obtain it. I arrived here on the 14th inst., and the next day 

 he. rd that a queer bird had been shot on the river, and on going to see it I found it 

 among a heap of rubbish in an out-house, where it had been thrown, as no one knew 

 its value or cared anything for it. It had been killed eight days, but was only just 

 beginning to putiefy, as fortunately it had been shot clean. It is a marvel to me how 

 it escaped, for such a time, the attentions of either cats or rats ; perhaps, however, 

 they do not admire the fishy flavour of marine birds. On dissecting this bird I found 

 its stomach contained, as is usual with birds of this family, a ball of its own under 



