The Zoologist — June, 1866. 267 



Sussex; not a feather corresponding with the winter plumage re- 

 maining. 



LovgtnUed Til. — Both old birds roost in the nest at night. I had 

 linown where there was a nest constructing, and, thinking that I had 

 allowed time enough for the full number of eggs to be laid, I visited it 

 on the evening of the 21st, for the purpose of taking the eggs for my 

 collection. Having turned out both birds, I was obliged to dislodge 

 the nest, which was built between two large branches of an ash-tree, ' 

 before I could get out the eggs. Finding only five I replaced the nest 

 as well as 1 could, that the birds might use it again if they cared to do 

 so. Passing the same way about a week after, I ascended the tree to 

 ascertain if they had taken to it again, when I found the hole stopped, 

 but five more eggs in the nest, and these eggs stained. I imagine that 

 I must have disturbed the toaterproofing of the nest, where it joined 

 the tree, when I displaced it, and so caused the birds to forsake, and 

 the eggs to be stained, and that the birds stopped the entrance before 

 leaving. 



Waders. — I have not had opportunity to note down arrivals cor- 

 rectly, but up to the end of April, whimbrel, bartailed godwit, green- 

 shank, redshank and gray plover have arrived. 



W. Jeffery, jun. 

 Ratham, Chichester, May 10, 1866. 



Hen Harrier near Barnstaple.— li becomes a melancholy duty to chronicle the 

 capture and death of birds which, once common, are now fast disappearing from our 

 Avifauna, bein;: each year surely and eflfectually " improved" from off the face of our 

 country. On Easter-day I received a fine example of the adult male hen harrier from 

 Sir Arthur Chichester, wliich had been trapped by one of his keepers near Barnstaple. 

 This species used to be no uncommon bird in the West of England, breeding among 

 the furze on many a high-gronnd and moor; but it is now becoming' ,are, and can 

 only be looked upon as an occasional straggler.— Murray A. Maltieiv] Weston-super- 

 Mare, May 4, 1 866. 



Woodchat Shrike and Golden Oriole at Brighton.— I and my brother have been 

 successful in shooting two very rare birds in one day, namely, the 4th of May ; the 

 first, a woodchat shrike, was seen by my brother at Pieston, near Brighton; on his 

 first observing it, it was on the gronud : as soon as it observed biin it flew into a 

 thorn-bush, where he very quickly shot it, and found it to be a fine male. He had not 

 walked more than two hundred yards farther when be met with a pair of golden 

 orioles, sporting about upon the lawn of Preston Place : as they were on private 

 ground he immediately came home with the news: I at once went to the house, and 

 having obtained permission of the owner to search his grounds I succeeded, after some 



