3368 The Zoologist — January, 1873. 



an osprey, and probably a male from its small size. We have two -which 

 ■were killed at Hempstead in 1827 and 1867. Of the first my father gives 

 me the following note : — " It took a large perch from the decoy-pond, with 

 which it settled on an adjacent post, on the top of which a steel trap was 

 set, which caught it by one foot." The second has been recorded in the 

 'Zoologist' (S. S. 872), as having been shot on the 13th of June, but the 

 date on the back of the case is May 26th. The keeper saw it about for 

 some ten days before he caught it, and shot at it once ineffectually. It was 

 trapped by the left leg, in the same manner, and nearly in the same place, 

 as the other one, and a small fish lay beside it. — J. H. Gurney, jun. ; 

 Northrepps, "Norwich. 



Goshawk at Ilainpstcad. — A few days ago Mr. Burton, of Wardour Street, 

 Oxford Street, showed me a fine young male that was captured in Hamp- 

 stead on the 3rd of September : it had been struck down by the blow of a 

 stone or stick. From the beautiful state of the plumage, it does not seem 

 to have been an escaped bird ; but I noticed that the claws were rather 

 worn : I think this is rarely the case with a truly wild bird. It would be 

 interesting to kuow if any one has lost such a bird in the neighbourhood. — 

 Frederick Bond; 203, Adelaide Road, October 1, 1872. 



Waxwing in nanipshirc. — Messrs. W. Hart & Son, naturalists, in Christ- 

 church, have kindly informed me that a female waxwing was killed near the 

 above-mentioned town, and brought to them, in the flesh, on the 23rd inst. 

 The appearance of this beautiful species in this country is, I believe, considered 

 to be the sign of a severe winter. — A. von Hilgcl; Stonyhurst, Nov. 25, 1872. 



late Piestiitg of Starlings. — On the 22nd of October a pair of old starlings 

 were seen by two of our servants enticing their young ones out of a nest 

 where they had already reared two broods. Their previous behaviour had 

 aroused suspicions, both in myself and others, that they were again breeding. 

 This has occun'ed about eleven miles from the instance recorded by my friend 

 Mr. Corbin in the 'Zoologist' (S. S. 3313).— H. W. W. Aubrey; Rectory, 

 Hide, near Salishury. 



Food of the Cliough. — The stomach of a chough which I dissected a few 

 days ago was, with the exception of a few small bits of quartz, exclusively 

 filled with the remains of (^oleoptera, especially of Geotrupes stercorarius. 

 It seems extraordinary how a bird can at this time of the year manage to 

 find such a quantity of insects. Of the above species alone I counted ten 

 elytra, and there were many more of the smaller kinds of beetles, which I 

 was unable to identify. The bird in question was killed at New Quay, in 

 Cornwall, on the 22ud instant. — A. von llihjel ; November 25, 1872. 



late Cuclioo. — On the 29th of September a fine young bird was captured 

 in a garden in this road by a cat, and kindly sent up to me. I think 

 I never saw any bird so covered with fat ; it has, however, made a very good 

 skin. — F. Bond ; Adelaide Road. 



