1864 The Zoologist— Octoblr, 1869. 



My friend, who is not an ornitliologist, aflerwarfis found that he had been cheated out 

 of a fine male specimen of one of the rarest birds that visit this country. — Alexander 

 Clark- Kennedy ; September 11, 1869. 



Fieldfare's Nest at Alresfurd. — Colonel Hawkins having written me word that a 

 pair of fieldfares had tmilt their nest and brought up their young ones in the rectory 

 grounds at Alresford, I suggested the missel thrush. Col. Hawkins has since sent me 

 the nesi, and also a note from the Rev. J. H. Swainson, whom your readers will he 

 interested in knowing is the brother of the celebrated and lamented naturalist of that 

 name. The nest is certainly very similar to those described by Hewitson as belong- 

 ing to the fieldfare. In his note to Colonel Hawkins Mr. Swainson says : — " Seeing 

 a strange-looking nest of loose twigs on the lower fork of the boughs of a medlar tree 

 on my lawn, about seven feet from the ground, and the idea crossing my mind that it 

 was not unlike what I had heard of a fieldfare's nest, I asked my gardener ' What nest 

 is thai?'. He immediately replied, 'Oh, sir, two fieldfares built there this spring; 

 I should have destroyed it, but Mrs. Wing wished me to leave it.' I said, 'Are you 

 sure they were fieldfares?' He answered, 'Yes, sir; I saw the birds often about.' 

 ' But,' I inquired, ' did you see them on the nest ?' ' Yes,' was the reply again ; ' the 

 cock bird used to be picking about, while I could see the hen on the nest.' After you 

 and I had had some conversation upon the sul jcct, I also asked him whether either of 

 the birds seemed lame or weak on the wing; but he replied that there was nothing 

 particular about them. This was all he knew ; he had not looked into the nest to 

 ascertain how many eggs were hatched, nor did he see the young ones fly. But he 

 was quite certain they were fieldfares, and I am quite satisfied that we may depend 

 upon his testimony." The gardener's testimony is of value, provided he was quite 

 certain that the bird was not a missel thrush, and thut he was capable of distinguish- 

 ing between the two. — C. R. Bree (in the ''Field'). 



Fieldfare's Nest at Alresfurd. — In corroboration of the nest at Alresford (mentioned 

 in the ' Field' of June V2) baving been that of the fieldfare, I send the following: — 

 (I) Mr. Swainson su^'gesled to the gardener that the nest was that of the missel 

 thrush ; but the latter immediately pointed out a real missel thrush's uest on an 

 adjoining tree, thus most satisfactorily showing that he well knew the difference 

 between the fieldfare and missel. (2) Col. Hawkins saw on Sunday, the Cth of June 

 instant, a pair of fieldfares mobbing a jay. Col. Hawkins knows the bird well, and 

 says he could not possibly be mistaken. This was in the Alresford coverts, which 

 adjoin the rectory garden, where the nest was built. Cul. Hawkins did not see any 

 young birds, but he was quite sure from the hostile manoeuvres of tlie old bird that 

 they were near. I think we may conclusively state that this is a well-attested and 

 proved case of the nidification of Turdus pilaris in this country ; and it is interesting, 

 for the event is very rare. The birds will, I think I may venture to say, not be shot at 

 Alresford ; so they will have a good chance of breeding again. — Id.; Colchester, 

 June 18, 1869 {in the ' Field '). 



Golden Oriole in Kent. — There was shot on June 2, by Mr. Wiggins, keeper, 

 Loulhfield Park, Tunbridge Wells, a fine female golden oriole {Oriolus yalbula). On 

 examination I found the bird must have had a nest of eg-js or young ones at the time 

 it was killed. — Edwin Ward; 60, Wiymore Street, Cavendish Square (Id.) 



Golden Oriole near Horsham. — The keeper here shot a male golden oriole one day 

 this week : I am having it preserved by Mr. Richard.'on, of Horsham. Will you in- 



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