444 The Zoologist — October, 1866. 



wind ; they were some ten minutes or more in passing : I never 

 remember seeing them in such numbers. The swift is by no means a 

 common species with us, nor do they breed in the neighbourhood, 

 though a few occasionally make their appearance in rainy and windy 

 weather. 



Turtle Dove. — Though the turtle dove has been lately seen on the 

 Downs, I do not know that it feeds there, like the wood pigeon, on 

 the whortleberry, but think it not unlikely. A few pairs are generally 

 to be met with during the breeding season. A neighbour has a caged 

 wood pigeon in perfect adult plumage, the feathers of the neck and 

 breast resplendent with metallic tinge, and, to judge from the constant 

 cooing, it is quite reconciled to a state of captivity. 



Redbacked Shrike.— 20ih. A bird of this species was seen at 

 Kew. 



Common Crossbill. — 23rd. A handsome male of this beautiful 

 species was observed at Shauklin, feeding on the cones in a fir- 

 plantation. 



White Wagtail. — Has been seen about the sea-cliffs, its usual 

 resort ; and on the 24lh a pair was observed by a small pond at Luc- 

 combe, but occasionally rising on wing to chase each other along the 

 hedge-rows, on which they would alight for a second or two. 



Cuckoo. — 24th. The young cuckoo, though as voracious as ever, 

 does not appear to thrive in confinement, or the growth of the species 

 is less rapid than Ijasheen supposed. In a former note I should have 

 said that it was of the size of a young thrush ; it is now little larger 

 than a full grown one, though the head is nearly twice the size. It 

 has little tail as yet, but that may be partly owing to friction, conse- 

 quent on close confinement in a small cage. What is chiefly remark- 

 able in the plumage is the large white spot or transverse band on the 

 crown of the head, correctly described by Tenuninck as a " grande 

 tache blanche," whereas Macgillivray says, " on the occiput there are 

 generally some partially white feathers," So we are to infer that the 

 head of the young cuckoo is sometimes spotless. He remarks, 

 " Temminck's account of the young at the time of leaving the nesl is 

 sufficiently correct;" but whether that author would have returned the 

 compliment I think very doubtful. Considering that Macgillivray has 

 devoted thirty-one pages to this species, it might have been expected 

 that such a prominent feature would have been more correctly defined 

 and described. 



