9036 Birds. 
Dusky Petrel. Accidental. 
Wilson’s Petrel. Accidental. 
Forktailed Petrel. Accidental. 
Storm Petrel. Occasional autumn and winter migrant. 
Henry STEVENSON.* 
Notes on‘ Stanton Grange; or, at a Private Tutors. T 
By Joun Ranson, Esq. 
Tur Rev. J. C. Atkinson, M.A., author of ‘Birds’ Nests and 
Eggs, &c., has just published another volume with the above title: 
it is, | am sorry to say, disfigured with various slang expressions, 
such as “lumbering thickhead,” “considerable lubber,” “ blurted 
out,” “auld scrap,” &c. The title gives no idea of the contents of 
the book; indeed, the second title is calculated to mislead, for the 
book does not contain a single expression about the advantages or 
disadvantages of a private tutor. The plot of the book, such as it is, 
is very badly managed, and the episode of “ Peter the Assassin” 
adds nothing to its interest. Notwithstanding all this, the facts in 
Natural History, which are interwoven into the narrative, are told 
with great power, and they alone redeem the book from being dull, 
for nothing on Natural History, if it comes from Mr. Atkinson’s pen, 
can be dull. 
The perusal of this little book has recalled to my memory many 
little facts and pleasant adventures, some of which I here present 
under the title of notes. 
Birds laying to Death. When I was a boy there was a tradition 
abroad among juvenile bird-nesters that a “cuddy” (a Yorkshire 
name for the hedgesparrow) had laid herself to death. I once took 
eighteen eggs from a hedgesparrow’s nest, by one at a time, always 
leaving a nest-egg: how many the bird would have laid I do not 
know, for some other nester pulled the nest out. In 1854 two young 
gentlemen who were under my care, robbed a magpie’s nest in some 
firs at the bottom of my garden: they got out of the nest, the first 
time, five eggs, seven the second, and five the third, time, when 
I forbad them plundering it any more, and the old birds eventually 
got away with six young ones. In ‘Stanton Grange’ (p. 7) the fact 
* Reprinted from White's ‘ History and Directory of Norfolk.’ 
+ ‘Stanton Grange; or, ata Private Tuton’s. By the Rev. J. C. Atkinson, M.A. 
London: Sampson Low. 
