The Zoologist— May, 1866. 219 



years, and one of the birds was referred to (Zool. 5204) as being 

 afflicted with tubercular excrescences. That both pigeon and dove 

 form :i permanent alliance I have little doubt, and there is reason to 

 believe that the swallow and martin pair for life. I would suggest to 

 those who have aviaries of our native birds on a large scale, that they 

 direct their attention to the matter, and observe closely the habits of 

 the different species in this respect; not that their doings in cap- 

 tivity, where their choice must necessarily be more or less restricted, 

 can be altogether relied on, still it might tend to throw light on a subject 

 at present but little understood. 



Redthroated B iver .—Thong\\ unable to fix the time of their 

 departure to a day, I may safely say that the greater part had left our 

 coast by the end of February, but I have heard of a iew being seen as 

 late as the first week in March in Sandown Bay, their usual haunt. 

 And the large flock of ducks {Anas hoschas) that frequented the bay, 

 must have taken their departure about the same period, without having 

 their ranks thinned. A more wary flock I never saw ; there was no 

 getting within half a mile of it. 



Black Scoter. — March 20th. Three were observed off Shanklin. 



Tillark. — March 22iid. I believe the species is nesting, having 

 seen one to-day carrying material. 



Rook. — March 26lh. Our rooks are now busily engaged repairing the 

 nests, which have been greatly damaged by the late gales : the work 

 was suspended on the setting in of the frost in the middle of February. 

 As usual, they are robbing their neighbours right and left when oppor- 

 tunity offers, but if detected there is a momentary clamour, and not 

 unfrequently a fight. They are unusually late in breeding, but the 

 weather has been unseasonably cold as well as stormy ; thermometer 

 ranging from 32° to 45° throughout the greater part of the month. 



Chiffchuff. — March 26lh. This, the smallest and perhaps the earliest 

 of our migratory birds, has just made its appearance, two having been 

 observed to-day spotting among the upper branches of the flowering 

 but leafless elms at Bouchurch, where the chifFchaff" was first seen 

 last year on the 27th of March. Thermometer 48° ; wind south- 

 west. 



Wheatear. — March 27lh. Found two to-day in the newly-ploughed 

 lauds bordering the sea-clifis, between Shanklin and Sandown. This 

 species and the chiff'chaff arrive so nearly together that I am as yet 

 unable to decide which comes first. 



Sky Lark. — March 27th. Still gregarious, but a pair or two were 



