Birds. 9327 
added the missel thrush, who sings as it flies, to which I have often been both an ear 
and an eye witness. The missel thrush is a common bird in this neighbourhood. The 
common linnet is also another bird that I have heard frequently singing as it flies, 
especially when they visit the line folds in flocks, and also in the breeding season.— 
John Ranson; York. 
Goshawk on Filey Brigg.—On Tuesday afternoon, whilst Mr. Richard Lorriman, 
feather preserver, was on Filey Brigg, he noticed a large hawk flying low and hovering 
about in search of prey. Crouching down he awaited its approach, levelled his gun, 
fired and it fell. Mr. Winson, bird-stuffer, in whose possession the bird now is, pro- 
nounces it to be a specimen of the goshawk in exceeding fine plumage.— Sheffield 
Daily Telegraph, October 8, 1864. [Communicated by Col. Newman.] 
Fieldfare in July.—My friend Mr. R. M. Presland possesses a fieldfare, which he 
shot at Gravesend on the 3rd of July, 1864. Is this not very late for this bird of 
passage? He sent it to me to preserve, and on opening the bird I found three ege's 
formed, about the size of a borse-bean.—J. A. Clarke; 11, Duncan Place, London 
Fields, Hackney, October 6, 1864. 
[The occurrence of the fieldfare in July is interesting; but is there no mistake 
about the eggs? I do not allude so much to the somewhat late period of the year as 
to the presence of three eggs of equal size, as the comparison to a horse-bean implies: 
eggs, prior to the period of oviposition, appear as clusters of minute objects, often not 
so large as the head of a very small pin; but, as the period of oviposition approaches, 
the most advanced egg has usually ten times the bulk of the second, the second ten 
times the bulk of the third. TI have never seen three eggs of the size spoken of in any 
bird, as far as I recollect. The frequently repeated assertion that the sand grouse shot 
in 1863 contained two equally developed eggs was erroneous; such birds were un- 
questionably males.— Edward Newman.] 
Light-coloured Robin.—Whilst out shooting this morning I had the good fortune 
of seeing and securing a very fine specimen of the albino robin: it was perfectly white, 
with here and there a slight tinge of cream-colour; the latter was very faint. I have 
never heard of one of these birds being shot or seen in the neighbourhood before.— 
E. D. Hamel ; Bole Hall, September 27, 1864. 
Curious Habit of the Robin.—During last winter and early spring I, on several 
occasions, observed a little habit of the robin which seemed to me somewhat peculiar. 
When two robins met, one of them would fly to within a few feet of the other, and, 
taking its stand on a branch, or sometimes on the ground, would raise its head in a 
vertical position, and sway its body from side to side without moving its legs, uttering 
at the time a quick energetic warble. The other would look on calmly and listen, 
making no counter-demonstration. Is this an address to a female, or a song of 
defiance to an enemy? I have not seen this habit alluded to in books.—G. Roberts ; 
Lotfhouse, Wakefield. 
Anthus campestris or A. rufescens ‘at Brighton.—I send you a notice of the occur- 
rence of the tawny pipit (Anthus campestris or A. rufescens). On the 30th of Sep- 
tember, 1864, a boy caught in a clap-net one of this species near Brighton, and 
brought it alive to Mr. Swaysland, naturalist, living in the Queen’s Road, Brighton, 
where I saw it alive about an hour afterwards. This is the third known British 
example. The two first were pointed out by me in the‘ Ibis, vol. v. No. 17, J anuary, 
1863, p. 37, Hitherto these birds had passed for Anthus Ricardi, and I very much 
wish that any gentleman possessing a supposed Richard’s pipit, well authenticated as 
