Birds. 8955 
solid or firm in its burrow. I have found nothing but what I stated in my former 
communication (Zool. 8818), viz., “a few fish-bones and scales.” I once swept out, 
with my hand, enough to half fill a tea-saucer; there were six eggs in the burrow. 
Whenever I have found young, the burrow has been in a very wet, fetid state, and I 
should scarcely have thought anything could have hardened in such a place.—Charles 
Stubbs ; Henley-on-Thames, January 18, 1864. 
The late Stay of Swallows.—Swallows were here in considerable numbers up to the 
middle uf November, when we lost sight of them; but on the 3rd of December I 
again saw them (I believe both swallows and martins), to the number of a dozen or 
more, hawking for flies over the rosery, which is a sheltered spot, and they were our 
visitors in smaller numbers up to the 7th.—Alfred Wheeler; Devon Rosery, Torquay, 
December 16, 1863. 
{I have the most unexceptionable evidence of martins being observed up to the 
end of the year; swallows are often mentioned, but I think martins are generally 
intended.— Edward Newman.] 
Notes on the Swallow Tribe, their Stay and Departure —On November 30th, 1864, 
T saw a house martin fying about quite strong and active. The day was very bright 
and sunny, with a cold easterly wind. I have never before observed any of the 
swallow tribe later than November 23rd. For some years past I have seen sand 
martins here from the 20th to the 23rd March, and swifts from the 20th to the 29th 
April; the latest date at which I have seen swifts is September 6th, 1852. The fact 
that in this neighbourhood we have some members of the swallow family for eight 
months out of the twelve is attributable, I imagine, to the abundance of food and 
shelter which the valley of the Abon affords, both early and late in the year as well as 
all through the sammer.—Z7. Beaven Rake ; Fordingbridge, January 5, 1864. 
Whitebellied Swift near Manchester—At a meeting of the Manchester Natural 
History Club, held the 26th October, 1863, a stuffed specimen of alpine swift was 
lent for exhibition by Mr. C. R. Jones; it was taken during service in St. Mary’s 
Church, Hulme, Manchester, on Sunday, October 18th. It had been observed since 
the previous Friday, and on Sunday while flying about it suddenly fell and was taken 
up dead.—Communicated by Dr. Alcock. 
The Willow Grouse and the Red Grouse—I was much surprised, on reading Mr. 
Norman’s very interesting notes on the Fauna of Norway, to find that he still main- 
tains the opinion that the willow grouse and red grouse are identical. Certainly he 
cannot have read the very able remarks on this subject in the ‘ Field, of July 18th, 
1863, from the pen of Mr. Wheelwright, than whom no man has had greater facilities 
for studying the economy of these birds. By the kindness of the Editor I will here 
quote part of Mr. Wheelwright’s observations, “ Although perfectly willing to admit 
Professors Rasch and Esmark to be, as they undoubtedly are, great authorities on the 
Norwegian Fauna, I consider it very probable that neither of them is conversant with 
the habits of the red grouse of Scotland in its native home; and I differ entirely from 
their opinions, that ‘the Norwegian grouse is only a variety of the Scotch; their 
habits are similar, and the difference of plumage is solely owing to climatic in- 
fluences.’ I contend that their habits are perfectly dissimilar, and, without dwelling 
too much on the difference of plumage as a mark of specific distinction, I cannot help 
remarking that I never yet saw a red grouse nearly so light in colour during the 
summer as the willow grouse; and even allowing that the seasonal change in the 
winter may be owing to climatic influence, this is hardly a reason why the wing 
