The Zoologist — February, 1867. 607 



in autumn, but there is no mention in any wort to which I have referred of so late a 

 nest as this one. My friend was kindly allowed hy the farmer to have possession of 

 the deserted nest and eggs. I have not seen them, but an experienced naturalist, on 

 examination, pronounces them to be certainly those of the chimney swallow, the eggs, 

 however, being nearly one-third smaller than the average. Would this peculiarly render 

 it likely that the birds belonged to an early brood of the same year? A young egg- 

 collector has just remarked to me that several species of birds do lay the first year, and 

 that the eggs are very small ; he instanced the wren, thrush, &c. The nest mentioned 

 above was detached whole, being built on a rafter against the wall ; the back is, of 

 course, flat: it is composed of mud, with a few feathers and a little hay ; the eggs, as 

 usual, spotted with pale red. On being blown for preservation, their freshness proved 

 them to have been recently laid. — S. King ; Sudbury, January 14, 1867. 



The Willow Grouse and Red Grouse perching.— I am glad to be able to remove 

 one point of difference, which was considered fatal to my views of the identity of the 

 Norwegian willow grouse and the British red grouse. In a communication (Zool. 

 8955) Mr. Reeks, quoting from the late Mr. Wheelwright, asks "whether the red 

 grouse had ever been known to perch on a tree." In my reply (Zool. 9045) I stated 

 that if the willow grouse really did perch, and the red grouse did not, then this fact 

 alone would go strongly against my views of their identity. At that lime, it is scarcely 

 necessary to say, 1 was not aware that the red grouse did ever perch on trees, but now 

 I am glad to be able to remove this doubt. A few weeks ago I was shooting on the 

 moors here above Middleton Hall, and while discussing various habits of the grouse 

 with the keepers, accidentally mentioned the subject of grouse perching. To my 

 great surprise three of the keepers informed me that this habit is by no means in- 

 frequent: the head keeper, pointing at the time to a plantation of Scotch pine called 

 "Ling Plantation," said he had often seen grouse perching there: this was corrobo- 

 rated by others present. I have spoken with other shooters in this district who have 

 also seen them perching in trees, so that I think this point of supposed difference 

 must fall to the ground. It strikes me as being very strange that when this subject 

 was being discussed in the pages of the 'Zoologist' no one should have come forward 

 to settle this interesting point of perching, for surely it must have been observed by 

 sportsmen in different parts of the country.— 6?. Norman; Ben Rhydding, Yorkshire, 

 January 13, 1867. 



Note on the Occurrence of Quails near Belfast. — I saw this day in Leadenhall 

 Market six quails, which I was informed were part of a consignment of eight, which 

 had arrived together from a locality in the neighbourhood of Belfast. The birds I saw 

 were in excellent condition; four were in the usual adult winter garb, the other two 

 had speckled throats, which I presume was a remnant of their immature dress. The 

 occurrence of eight quails in one locality in England at the same time, in winter, would 

 certainly be an uncommon event; whether such a circumstance is equally rare in 

 Ireland I know not, but it appears worth recording.—/. H. Gurney ; January 4, 

 1867. • 



Plumage of the Oystercatcher. — I shot two specimens of the above-mentioned bird 

 at Hunstanton, in Norfolk, last autumn, one of which was rather larger than the other, 

 and had a while gorget of about one inch and a half in length, and about two inches 

 in breadth ; while the smaller bird had ils neck, to the breast, of a pure glossy black, 

 aud ils bill was more black at the end than that of the other bird. Mr. F. 0. Morris 



