The Zoologist — March, 1866. 143 



Bam Old hunting in Daylight.— The other day, about 10 miles west from Stirlinjr, 

 I was surprised to observe a baru owl systematically quartering a stubble field, iu 

 search do doubt of field mice, in broad daylight. I watched the bird for some lime, 

 and saw it alight on a cliff, in a wood about 200 yards off, from which position it soon 

 afterwards renewed its hunting operations. I have repeatedly disturbed owls through 

 the day, and seen them fly heavily away ; but I never saw one voluntarily facing 

 bright daylight in search of food, as this one uudoubtedly was.— 7. A. Harvie Brown; 

 Dunipace House, Falkirk, January 30, 1866. 



Grass Parroqvet in Surrey. — I can furnish an instance of the occurrence of the 

 grass parroquet (Melopsillacus undulatus) in the country, while those mentioned by 

 Mr. Newman were all near London, where many common foreign cage birds may be 

 seen. I saw one, in company with a flock of sparrows, near the village of Oxted, 

 Surrey, on the 30lh of September: one of the flock, I believe the parroquet, was 

 caught by a male sparrowhawk, as it mobbed him ; he caught it by turning over on 

 his back and striking up at it with his talons, which is a way in which I have never 

 before seen a hawk strike. Can any of your readers kindly tell me if this bird will 

 breed in confinement readily, and what its breeding habits are, as I have long wished 



to found a colony of them, by exchanging some of our wild finches' eggs for theirs. 



M. R. Pryor ; Gvdnlone, Surrey, October 8, 1865. 



Great Gray Shrike in Stirlingshire. — While out taking a walk, on the 7th of 

 February, T observed a bird rise from a thick hedge, carrying some object between its 

 feet, nearly as it seemed half its own size. Not quite certain as to what the bird was 

 I followed its flight, which was necessarily impeded by the weight it carried, and saw 

 it alight on a hedge about 100 yards further off. I easily crept up to within 20 yards 

 of where it sat. It was busily employed in tearing to pieces a blue titmouse, holding 

 the bird betiveen its feet, and not fixing it to any thorn or spike in the hedge. I at 

 once saw what the bird was, and what I had before suspected it to be, viz., a great 

 gray shrike (Lanius excubilor). Having no gun— as is often the case when it is most 

 wanted— the bird escaped, bearing its prey along with it. This is the second I have 

 seen here myself, and it is very rarely indeed that it makes its appearance in this 

 district. — /. A. Harvie Broum. 



Missel Thrush singing in December. — 1 never heard the missel thrush singing so 

 early as at the present time. Not only one but I may say scores were heard, go 

 where you would every day for this last fortnight. — T. Last ; Ipswich, December 19, 

 1865. 



Blackbirds singing in January. — On several occasions, about the middle of this 

 month, I heard blackbirds singing in the evening. — J. A. Harvie Brown. 



Rooks building in January. — Two pairs of rooks have been actively employed 

 during the last few days in building their habitations in a tree at the end of the house, 

 from a window of which I can observe without disturbing thein. They continually 

 are occupied in robbing the main part of the rookery, or carefully keeping watch over 

 their own, as if suspicious of kindred tendencies in their neighbours. The nests a few 

 days ago were mere shells; they are now, to outward appearance, perfect structures, 

 and I do not despair of finding eggs iu them ere long. — Id. 



Blackcap in January. — I received a very fine specimen of the blackcap warbler, 

 which a friend of mine had shot on the 26th of January last : it is an adult male bird, 

 in very fine plumage. I think it is something unusual for it to be so far north in 



