218 The Zoologist— May, 1866. 



in East Medina ; but I have lately heard of instances of their occur- 

 rence in West Medina. Mr. Robert Gibbs, a gentleman residing in 

 the latter division, informs me that a woodpecker was shot at 

 Yarmouth by a man named Udal, many years ago ; and John Pedder, 

 who I have known for years, tells me that when gamekeejjer on the 

 Gatcombe and Svvainston estates, he shot some spotted woodpeckers. 

 From the description given, as to size, &c., they must have been of the 

 greater spotted species. One was sin fled, but he does not know what 

 became of it. The first was killed at Gatcombe, the next near New- 

 town, and a third somewhere in the neighbourhood of Yarmouth. 



John Pedder tells me (and his statement is confirmed by Mr. 

 Nobbs, who witnessed it) that the pheasants bred and reared by him 

 would, months after being turned oul, leave the cover on hearing his 

 whistle, and flock around him and on him, perching on his arms and 

 shoulders to be fed ; but the appearance of a stranger would scare 

 them all back to the woods. Two or three hundred pheasants together 

 and on the wing nnist have been a grand sight, and people came to the 

 Lodge to witness it. 



Mr. Nobbs has had a cockatoo [Psittacus brachyiirt/s-nlbus) for 

 thirty-eight years, and it was said to be about two years old when given 

 to him. I remember seeing it thirty-three years ago ; but, notwith- 

 standing its great age, it is ajiparently as well and lively as ever. Mr. 

 Gibbs tells me that he shot a pied flycatcher some years ago at 

 Thorley Farm, near Yarmouth. This is a rare visitant, not having 

 been met with but once or twice before, and that in the same neigh- 

 bourhood ; he also informs me that he killed two hawfinches at 

 Bowcombe last year, and a hoopoe two years before. Three other 

 hoopoes had been previously shot by him on Thorley Farm : he 

 nuftnlions having once killed, on Cridmore Moor, near Rookley, two 

 spotted crakes. 



Bluethroated Warbler. — March 6th. A pair, I believe, of these rare 

 birds was seen to-day by the brook-side, though, getting but a 

 momentary view of one, I could not be quite sure ; however, I shall 

 watch them closely this season, and endeavour to ascertain whether 

 they breed with us or not. 



Slonechat. — xNIarch 11th. Is paired, but it is difficult to ascertain 

 the e.xact time of pairing of this and many other species, and there is 

 reason to believe (as I have already statec^ that the raven, for instance, 

 remains paired all the year round. That the hedgesparrow does, I 

 have long thought, having observed a pair about ray garden-hedge for 



