8876 Birds. 
the natives took a favourable view of the idea of preserving any birds except game: as 
to small birds, they wished me to kill all but goldfinches. I tried to convince them of 
the utility of the great bulk of the feathered tribe, but it would not avail: the poor jay 
is in very bad favour, owing to its depredations among the peas: there are traps in all 
the gardens for them, which destroy more than ever the gun does.—J. B. Hodgkinson ; 
Preston, Lancashire. 
The Shorteared Owl perching—Last winter, when out shooting on a marsh in 
Cumberland where heath was abundant, a shorteared owl (Strix brachyotus) rose about 
fifty yards in advance of me. I fired a long shot at it, but could not be certain 
whether the bird was struck or not: however, I marked it down again about four 
hundred yards off, and cautiously approached the place: when within about a hundred 
yards I saw the head of the bird peering out from among the heath, but on going a 
few paces nearer it took to flight. This was repeated two or three times, when the 
bird, instead of settling on the ground, perched on a stick whieh projected from a 
fence. Here I was again foiled in attempting to get a shot, but continued to follow it 
for half an hour, at the end of which time tbe bird perched on a rail in a fence, and, 
approaching under cover of some bushes, a second shot brought it down. It is by no 
means a rare bird on some of the Cumberland marshes, but, though I have frequently 
met with it, the above is the only instance of its perching that [ am aware of. The 
bird is now in my collection—Joseph J. Armistead ; Queenwood College, Stockbridge, 
Hants ; November 20, 1863. 
Large Flocks of Fieldfares near Moundsmere.—Last month the fieldfares appeared 
in this neighbourhood in unusually large quantities. I first observed two or three on 
the 6th of November, but on the 11th I observed large flocks near Bradley: they feed 
on Preston Down, and keep a sentinel perched on the topmost bough of some tree 
hard by, which, on the approach of danger, soon gives notice to the whole flock; they 
immediately fly up, as if to ascertain the quarter in which the threatened danger lies, 
and, as soon as they have discovered this, fy off geuerally in as near as possible the 
opposite direction. TL saw a small fir plantation, not far from Bradley, literally 
swarming with these birds, which, however, were too wary to allow me to get within 
gunshot of them. The fieldfares now appear to resort more to the woods, as I have 
observed very large flocks, at all times in the day, perching on the trees in Inham’s 
Coppice. Those about Bradley appear to rvost in the wouds near that village, as 
T have often of an evening seen them flying off towards the woods in that direction. 
When going to roost they generally fly very high, and only once have I seen them, 
when gvuing to their roosting places, flying low enough to be within gun-shot; this 
was only a few days alter their arrival, and they flew hardly twenty yards from the 
ground in a tremendous flock: I fired and killed one, which was very plump and fat. 
—Anthony S, Bradby ; Moundsmere, Hants, December 3, 1863. 
Late Blackbird’s Nest—While out shooting, a few days ago, I was startled by a 
very peculiar noise issuing from the adjoining hedge. I immediately proceeded to the 
place, and to my astonishment saw a nest of young blackbirds (four in number), half 
startled out of their wits; and no wonder, for a snake was at the foot of the bush. Is 
not this altogether an uncommon occurrence, for two reasons: first, I think it quite 
unprecedented for a blackbird to build its nest at this time of the year ; secondly, 
I think a snake never appears so late, unless the weather is very warm indeed, which, 
tu a certain degree, it was. JI have heard of blackbirds building their nest in 
September, but never so late as the second week in November—Arthur Freeland, 
in the ‘ Field. 
CO 
