THE ZooLocist—Apnit, 1872. 3021 
Early Arrival of the Chiffchaff.—I should like to know if the chiffchaff 
(Sylvia rufa, Temm.), has been heard in the neighbourhood of London. 
I heard the note, for the first time this year, yesterday, and saw the bird 
to-day. This is unusually early here. I have kept a record of the note, 
and of the appearance, of this bird for twenty years, inclusive of this year, 
and I find the earliest record of its note is the 20th of this month. 
Probably the long continuance of south-east winds may have something to 
do with the early appearance of the bird Harford Jones Brydges; Boulti- 
brooke, Presteign, March 16, 1872. 
Early Arrival of the Chiffchaff.—I saw and heard the chiffchaff on the 
afternoon of Thursday, March 14th, in the Botanical Gardens at Glasnevin, 
near Dublin.—A. G. More ; Royal Dublin Society, Kildare Street, March 15, 
1872. 
Waxwings in Nottinghamshire.—In November last a flock of these rare 
winter visitants frequented the woods near Ossington, which are of consider- 
able extent. One of the keepers shot more than a dozen, the plumage of 
which was in the height of beauty, the wax-like drops on the tips of the wings 
being large and bright. The birds were, unfortunately, kept too long before 
being seut to be preserved, and very poor specimens have been made of 
them, except two, which are pretty good; these I have now in my collection, 
It is several years since they have been seen in this county—J. Whitaker, 
jun.; Ramsdale House, Notts. 
Shore Lark and Crested Tit near Whithy.—You may feel interested in 
knowing that we have obtained a shore lark (Alauda alpestris), which was 
shot on the beach near Whitby, by our indefatigable friend, Mr. George 
Kitching ; also a crested tit, which he got in a ravine six miles hence.— 
Martin Simpson ; Whithy Museum, March 20, 1872. 
Dispersion of a Rookery by Carrion Crows.—A small band of carrion 
crows, not consisting of more than four or five, have lately driven off a 
colony of rooks that have long built their nests in a group of Scotch firs 
that grow around the Lodge. The fightings and buffetings have been 
continued for some weeks, but victory has rested at last with the crows. 
No sooner, indeed, do the rooks return than an ominous trumpeting croak 
from a sentinel gives warning of their approach, and the chase begins and 
continues till the rookery is once more deserted by the lawful owners. One 
old crow seems to be the leader in the forays, and he is so wary and crafty 
in his movements that he cannot be taken at a disadvantage. I shall be glad 
to know if others can bear testimony of a similar character. — Peter 
Inchbald ; Hovingham Lodge, near York, March 6, 1872.—From the ‘ Field’ 
of March 9. 
Great Black Woodpecker.—“ In the edition of Latham annotated by 
the late Earl of Derby, and now in the possession of the present earl, the 
passage ‘ One was killed in Lancashire by Lord Stanley,’ is erased, and in 
SECOND SERIES—VOL, VII. U 
