3614 The Zoologist — July, 1873. 



Ornithological Notes from Longparish^ Hants^ daring April and Hay, 

 1873.— 



Nightirujale. — Two heard, for the first time, on the 15th April. 

 Cuckoo. — Heard and seen, for the first time, on the 17th April. 

 Corn Crake. — First heard on the 22nd April. 



Common Sandpiper. — One seen at Clatford on the 10th April, and again 

 on the 17th. Two seen near Tuftou on the 25th, and one at Longparish 

 on the 26th. 



Green Sandpiper. — One seen on the 5th April, on Bransbury Common, 

 as wild as usual ; and on the 23rd one observed near Tufton. 



Whimbrel. — A pair seen on the 27th, and again on the 29th, on Brans- 

 bury Common. It is unusual for so many of our waders to visit this 

 neighbourhood, even during the spring and autumn migrations. 

 Swift. — One observed on the 5th May near Longparish. 

 Variety of Starlimj. — May 5. An almost pure white bird was observed 

 at Clatford to-day. 



Young Snipe. — A single young bird, just hatched, was found this morning 

 on Bransbury Common, which is, I think, the most beautiful little thing 

 I have ever seen : its head is of a delicate russet, barred and speckled with 

 grayish white; neck and throat underneath chestnut-red, above darker, 

 spotted with white ; chest and stomach above light russet, below black, 

 speckled with white. Its back is the handsomest part of all, spangled with 

 black, chestnut and white in about equal proportions. Thighs darker ; legs 

 and toes light slate-colour ; the joints of these and the claws darker ; beak 

 dark slate-colour. — [Communicated by H. Durnford, Esq.] 



Arrival of Spring Birds in ISottingbanishire. — Wheatear, March 26th ; 

 willow wren and chifi'chaff, 31st; swallow, April 15th, at Kainworth: sand 

 martin, 10th, at OUerton ; wood wren, 21st, at Raiuworth; whitethroat, 

 22nd, at Ramsdalc ; corn crake, 26th, at Calverton ; yellow wagtail, 27th, 

 at Rainworth ; common sandpiper, 27th, at Raiuworth Water ; cuckoo, 28th, 

 and redstart. May 1st, at Ramsdale : whinchat, 6th : house martin, 7th ; 

 turtle dove, 9th ; swift, 16th ; flycatcher, 20th, at Rainworth. — J. Whitaker, 

 jun. ; Balmcorth Lodge, Notts. 



Arrival of Spring migrants, &c. — There has of late years been so much 

 building here, and in the neighbourhood, that many of our birds have been 

 driven away or become scarce ; for instance, the goldfinch, now a somewhat 

 rare species in the Underclifi", was so common fifty years ago as to be found 

 nesting in most of our orchards where there were lichen-covered apple and 

 other fruit trees, and considerable flocks were to be seen in the autumn 

 feeding oil the thistle about and on the downs. The thrush, too, is com- 

 paratively scarce, hundreds having perished or been shot during a severe 

 winter or two, when scores of young men and boys were popping at them 

 from morning till night ; however, thanks to the gun license, they have had 



