1918 The Zoologist — November, 1869. 



seen on a mounlain ash together, for the sake of the benies. Although the ring ouzel 

 moves north and south in hirpe numbers, a great number remain in the spring and 

 summer months on Dartmoor and the Cornish moors to breed, and may be thus ob- 

 served all through the summer with their nests, eggs and young. The blackbird has 

 been represented as displaying the most perfect symmetry and proportions in the 

 shape and size of iis several members, relatively, of all birds'; the ring ouzel is equally 

 so. — Edward llearln Rodd ; Penzance, September 20, 1869. 



Nest of Blackbird iviili While Nestlings. — During the season a blackbird's nest 

 containing five nestlings, two white and the other three of the usual coloured garb, 

 was discovered on Mr. Clarke's premises, at Siusion, in Norfolk. — T. E. Gunn. 



Variety of the IVheatcar. —ViAii has a variety of the wheate;ir, having a white 

 splash about two inches long on the right side. — T. W. Wonfor ; Briyhton. 



Willow Wren's Nest in a Quickset Fence. — This year I found a willow wreu's nest 

 with egKS, in a thick thorn fence, some feel distant from the ground. — G. W. P.Moor ; 

 Great Uealiuys, Womlbridge, May, lb(59. 



Chiffchajf's Nest on a Summer-house. — This year a chiffchaff has built and reared 

 its young on the sloping eaves of a summer-house. The nest was ten feet from the 

 ground. — E. C. Moor; Great Bealingt, September 20, 18G9. 



Goldencresled Wren nesting in Ivy. — I found two goldencrested wrens' nests, during 

 April of this year, placed against the stems of lir-trces in the ivy surrounding them, 

 and not, as they are generally built, pendant from a fir-brancli. — E. C. Moor ; Royal 

 Agricultural College, Cirencester. 



Tawny Pipit near Briyhton. — Mr. Guthrie, of Rottingdean, ihol on the 6ih of 

 September two specimeus of the tawny pipit, at Rotlingriean. He was attracted by 

 the unusual note of the birds: unfortunately his gun was loaded for larger birds, and 

 they were so much damaged that Pratt has ouly been able to mount one. — T. W. 

 Wonfor. 



Rosy Bullfinch and Richard's Pipit at J3/j(//i/o/).— Swaysland has at the present 

 time a living female of the rosy bullfinch {Pyrrhula rosea), taken by a birdcatcher on 

 the Downs. I saw at the same lime living specimens of liichard's pipit brought in by 

 the birdcatchcrs. — Id. 



Sparrou's fascinated by a Snake. — Having been for many years past accustomed 

 to make noics in matters of Natural History, I venture to send you a few lines out of 

 my note-bouk for 1844, as the fact therein recorded seems to illustrate the remarks of 

 Mr. Charles Home, in his 'Jottings on Snakes,' in the 'Zoologist' for September 

 (S. S. 1809). " On the 26th of August, 1844, I saw a large assemblage of the spar- 

 rows belonging to our premises on the gravel-road (uuder the laburnum tree by the 

 balsam poplar), all looking one way, viz. towards the stem of the laburnum. Suddenly 

 and simultaneously they all flew up into it, then quickly returned to the same spot on 

 the gravel-path, taking up the same position ; then flying up in a body as before into 

 the laburnum, then returning, &c. While a friend and I were looking at all this, from 

 a window on the ground-floor, we suddenly saw the cause of it. A young snake came 

 slowly gliding across the gravel-road, and then went on along the grass-plot opposite 

 the balsam poplar. While the snake was doing this the sparrows all accompanied it, 

 some hoppiug alter it close to its tail, others on either side, and as if they wished to 

 get a little a-liead of it, but apparently afraid; still they seemed pleased with it, and 

 made a kind of merry chirping rather than any angry jangle. The snake, which was 



