The Zoologist— May, 1866. 227 



Swijt. — Summer visitor from the first week of May in the country, 

 from the end of April in the city, till towards the end of August. Why 

 the swift always ^'isits the town first I do not know, except the 

 the chimneys warm the air and thus acclimatize the bird for a week 

 or two, as it is very susceptible to cold. Often a fortnight in the 

 city before it comes to Dalkey, a distance of seven miles. Before 

 migrating it hawks till half-past ten, when nearly quite dark : at such 

 times I have caught them in an insect-net. 



Whilehellied Swift. — One shot at Rathfarnham on the 14th of 

 March, 1833, now in the Dublin Society's Museum. 



Nightjar. — A rare summer visitor to suitable localities. 



Turtle Dove. — Same remarks. 



Quail. — Resident. Many arrive in spring. 



The following non-migrating birds constitute a complete list of the 

 land birds of the County Oublin : — kestrel, sparrowhawk, longeared 

 owl, barn owl, dipper, thrush, blackbird, hedge accentor, great tit, 

 longtailed tit, sparrow, goldfinch, linnet, bullfinch, rook, jackdaw, 

 magpie, creeper, wren, ring dove, rock dove, pheasant, partridge and 

 red grouse. Ninety-eight species of land birds 



H. Blake-Knox. 



(To be continued.) 



Omit/iological Notes from Penzance. — I hare nothinsf very interesting to com- 

 municale to you on the vernal Ornithology of this district. I never remember so 

 backward a spring, nor do I ever remember the ground so saturated with rain. I saw 

 the first swallow this morning, but they have appeared for some days in the eastern 

 part of the county, so my nephew writes me word. The blackbird commenced his song 

 on the 26th of March, and the chiffchaflF on the 30th. Two hoopoes have been 

 captured, one at Scilly. On Friday last I received three specimens of the black tern 

 in summer plumage, killed at a large pond near the Land's End. — Edward Hearle 

 Rodd ; Penzance, April 16, 1866. 



Common- Buzzard in Suffolk. — Two individuals of the common buzzard were 

 observed in the vicinity of Worlingham, near Beccles, in February last; one of them 

 was shot on the 22nd : on its dissection it proved to be an immature female. The 

 other bird was not secured. — T. E. Gunn; Norwicfi. 



Lanius excubitor, Slrix passerina and Bombyrilla garrula in Willsliire. — A fine 

 specimen of Lanius excubitor was killed in the immediate neighbourhood of Calne on 

 the 22nd of December last: it was first seen in a ihorn-bush close to the canal, and 

 was shot in the act of giving vigorous battle to two wagtails: it is now in the collection 

 of Colonel Ward, of Castle House, Calne. There is also in that gentleman's collection 

 a fair specimen of Strix passerina, which was knocked down, about four years since, at 



