The Zoologist— February, 1871. 2483 



at Leconfield, a village in this neighbourhood, and, like the last, was 

 received in the tlesh by Mr. Richardson for preservation.— F. Boyes; 

 Beverly, Januanj 23, 1871. 



Blackcap at Scilly in December.— My nephew, who has been staying at 

 the residence of Mr. Smith, at Trescoe Abbey for some weeks, observed in 

 his garden on the 17th of December a male blackcap feeding on myrtle 

 berries. The bird was very near him and appeared to feel the cold of the 

 season, being ruffled in ]A\im?ige.— Edward Hearle Rodd. 



Nesting of the Graylieaded Wagtail near Newcastle. — Mr. J. Watson 

 says that " if acquainted with our British wagtails " I ought to know that 

 though the grayheaded wagtail might be mistaken for the yellow wagtail, 

 " it could by no possibility be mistaken for M. boarula " (S. S. 2406). Now' 

 I venture to say that I have seen, shot and skinned more of all three species 

 than he has. In particular I have had many opportunities of observing the 

 grayheaded wagtail, which being a rare species in England, may not be so 

 well known to Mr. Watson ; and I have no hesitation in saying that it 

 bears a very near resemblance to the gray— nearer in some respects than to 

 the yellow. However, my reason for suggesting the gray wagtail was 

 simply because I knew what a common species it was in the north of 

 England. If Mr. Watson is satisfied that it was the rarer species which 

 has bred at Newcastle, I am quite content to believe him. Only I think in 

 recording a new fact too much information cannot be given, and Mr. 

 Watson's first intimation was so brief that many must have felt sceptical, 

 who, like myself, were not aware of any previous instance of the grayheaded 

 wagtail's breeding in Britain, and under the circumstances will be glad of 

 the additional particulars which my letter has elicited.— J. H. Gurney, jun. ; 

 January 3, 1871. 



Variety of the Eouse Sparrow.— December 6, 1870. Noticed on a barley- 

 stubble near Woodbridge, Suffolk, amongst a very unusual flock of sparrows, 

 three handsome varieties ; two birds having their wings perfectly white, a 

 third with partially white wings. A similar flock in a neighbouring parish 

 (Playford) has two, if not three, very pretty varieties. — E. C. Moor; Great 

 Bealings Rectory, Woodhridye, Suffolk. 



Rook Nesting in Norember — November 18, 1870. Two pairs of rooks 

 commenced building their nests, which were finished, and, as the villagers 

 affirm, eggs were laid and hatched. The nests are placed near one another, 

 but are many hundred yards from their usual rookery, Playford, Suffolk. 

 — Id. 



pies.— It is commonly held in many parts of the country that these 

 birds are very destructive to newly-dropped lambs, by picking out their 

 tongues ; they are not held to otherwise touch the carcase whilst fresh. In 

 June last I had a long conversation with a country squire, not a naturalist, 

 and he maintained the above-stated as an undoubted fact, mentioning many 



