Birds. 9361 
its thirst. To show that it was by no means satiated, on the hemp-seed being replaced 
it began to feed again. On another occasion two hundred and seventy-five full-sized 
seeds of clary (Salvia verbenaca) were eaten in about an hour and a quarter, though 
it had been feeding as usual all the morning. Its frequent ablutions and fondness for 
water in a state of confinement may partly account for its haunt or habitat being the 
low secluded bushy tracts where springs abound. Having to-day narrowly inspected 
the plumage I think I may safely say that the moult is now completed.—Henry 
Hadfield ; Ventnor, Isle of Wight, October 19, 1864. 
{In reference to the food of the bullfinch, I have shown (Zool. 8699) that the 
young larva of Hybernia brumata, which feeds on the buds of plums and gooseberries, 
is the favourite food of this beautiful bird in spring, and therefore that the bird is a 
great benefactor to the gardener.—Edward Newman.]| 
The Hooded Crow near Moundsmere.——On the 7th instant Mr. G. Errington, of 
North Hall, Preston, Candover, shot a hooded crow at Bury Down, not far from 
Moundsmere: he kindly sent me the bird in the flesh. I had not previously met with 
a bird of this species in this locality, although I believe they are occasionally found 
here. On examining the gizzard, I found it contained several grains of barley, some 
small snail-shells,a great many pebbles and a quantity of half-digested matter, princi- 
pally beetles.— Anthony S. Bradby ; Moundsmere, Hants, October 27, 1864. 
Hoopoes at Flamborough.—On the 21st of September, 1864, I received a note from 
Mr. Bailey, of Flamborough, in which he stated that on the same day he bad stuffed a 
specimen of the hoopoe (Upupa epops), which had been shot by Mr. John Preston, of 
Flamborough, in one of his own fields. Since that date I have been informed, on 
good authority, that a second specimen has been captured in the same locality, but I 
have not yet received full details of the capture. This peculiar and foreign-looking 
bird has been shot several times within my own recollection in East Yorkshire, and on 
two occasious close to the town of Beverley.— W. W. Boulton ; Beverley, November 1, 
1864. 
The Kingfisher kept as a Cage Bird.—When staying at Brecon, South Wales, a 
week or two ago, I went one morning to the shop of Mr. Pritchard, the well-known 
fishing-tackle maker and fisherman, and found there, in an ordinary bird-cage, a king- 
fisher, perfectly tame. Never before having seen this bird in a cage I enquired the 
particulars of its capture, and found that it was one of a nest of seven that were taken 
this spring in the neighbourhood, when partly fledged: the trouble of rearing it must 
have been immense. It is very healthy and in beautiful plumage. Mr. Pritchard 
showed me how the bird took its food; at the bottom of the cage was an ordinary 
saucer filled with water, into which a live minnow was put. The kingfisher, sitting on 
the topmost perch, eyed the fish very knowingly, and nttering its sharp, shrill cry, 
pounced on the fish. Mr. Pritchard then, with a twig, assisted the bird, with the fish 
in his mouth, to his perch, for he was unable to fly back to it without help. The bird 
soon “settled” the tish, by giving it two or three sharp blows against the perch, and, 
tossing it, swallowed it head first. I observed that, before taking its prey, the bird 
cast up a small white pellet, composed of small fish-bones, which crumbled to pieces 
when touched, like the ashes of a cigar. It strikes me that a kingfisher in a cage is a 
very unusual sight, and I think it may interest some of your readers to hear of it— 
Thomas Marshall ; Northampton, October 21, 1864.—From the ‘ Field’ Newspaper. 
Ring Dove or Wood Pigeon nesting in October.—On about the 20th of this month 
I observed a wood pigeon fly out of an oak tree in Inham’s Coppice; the tree, I 
VOL. XXII. 3s 
