1600 The Zoologist— Makch, 1869. 



Goldfinch, Mealy Redpolr and Lesser Redpole in Kent. — During December and 

 January I saw, at different times, four goUifiiiches, one me^ly redpole and about twenty 

 lesser redpoles, all in the same vicinity — some large punds fringed with alder-tree, at 

 Cobham. — Clifton. 



Chocolate Variety of the Common Starling. — On the 13th of January a beautiful 

 variety of the starling was shot at Horsiead, and forwarded to me for preservation : it 

 _ is an adult female, its plumage being of a pale chocolate on its head, neck and breast, 

 the latter much paler, and the former tinted with purple reflections ; the back of a pale 

 reddish yellow, the feathers tipped or ed^^ed with darker colour; wings and tail 

 white, some of the feathers of a pale reddish yellow, and others only edged with 

 the same tint ; eyes, bill and legs much paler than in ordinary specimens. — 

 T. E. Gunn. 



Extraordinary Migration of Pigeons. — On Thursday morning, a most wonderful 

 host of pigeons passed over this district at daylight. The birds were first observed 

 flying high in the air from north to south. I do not exaggerate when I say that 

 millions must have passed between daylight and eleven o'clock. At one.time they were 

 so numerous as to seem like a dark cloud passing athwart the sky. Can these be wood 

 pigeons in such astounding numbers? Such they certainly seemed to be; and if they 

 are not cushats, what are they .'' There can be no doubt as to their being pigeons of 

 some kind. — From the ' Field.' 



Extraordinary Migration of Pigeons. — Referring to the migration of pigeons 

 noticed by youv correspondent from Barnet, I had seen them near here for about a 

 week before the day mentioned by him. They came over my house three or four times, 

 and I should say the flock must have been at least a mile long, and there could not 

 have been less than 8000 or 10,000 of them. There is no doubt that they were 

 common wood pigeons, as one) morning about 500 out of the flock settled on some 

 trees close by the house, and I had a good opportunity of seeing them. 1 have never 

 seen them since the day named by your correspondent ; and as a friend of mine at 

 Tottenham, and another at Sydenham, also observed them about the same time, I have 

 no douhl that they left the neighbourhood, I hoped to have heard of them again in 

 your last impression, and write this in the hope that we may hear where they have gone 

 to. — Evelyn Fairlie ; Elm Lodi/e, Cheshant, Herts, January II, 1869. — Id. 



Offer of Parasites from the Gold Pheasant. — Having some parasites from the above- 

 named bird I shall be most happy to distribute specimens on receipt of stamped 

 address. — T. E. Gtmn. 



Pheasant containing Egg in January. — Having received a hamper of game from 

 Devonshire on Saturday, ray servant in trussing a hen pheasant found a nearly full- 

 formed egg within. This appears to me a very unusual occurrence at this season of 

 the year. — Joshua Jeffery ; 15, Navcastte Street, Strand, January 12, 1878. — From 

 the ' Field.' 



Partridges Nesting in January. — I think it worth while to mention that a 

 partridge's nest of eight eggs, nearly batched, was found a few days ago in a field on 

 the glebe land of Kiug's-Nympton, North Devon, by a fiirm labourer. — Henry Byne ; 

 Milignn Hall, Bishop's Hull, Taunton, January 9, 1869. — Id. 



Partridge containing Egg m Winter. — Some game arrived here on the 17th of 

 December, from a (riend who resides near Congleton, in Cheshire. One of the par- 

 tridges, on being opened, was found to contain an egg fully formed. It is now in my 



