The Zoologist — December, 1871. 2861 



Wood Pigeon.— Ocioher 3rcl. The wood pigeon is both an early 

 and a very late breeder. Saw a nest this afternoon in a pollard 

 willow which overhangs onr small stream, with a young bird two 

 or three days old ; and a week later other nests in the plantations, 

 with young. 



Mountain Finch or Bra?nblinff.— October 3rd. I saw a beautiful 

 male bird in the marsh to-day, and, from its extreme tameness, 

 judged it to be quite a recent arrival. 



Fern Owl.— October 3rd. Occasionally occurs on the east coast 

 during the time of the autumn migrations. One was killed on the 3rd 

 before a party of shooters, in a neighbouring parish, from turnips. 

 Wild Geese.— October 7th. First flock of geese, about fifty, 

 flying southward from the north. 



Gray Wagtail.— October 10th. First noticed. 

 Hooded Crow.— October 12th. Saw some hooded crows. The 

 previous day and night had been very fine and still, with what 

 little wnnd there was from the land. 



Thrush.— I am inclined to think there may be ttvo races or 

 varieties of the common thrush; the one our familiar garden 

 friend, the other a dark race or variety which comes only in the 

 autumn. Along with the common thrushes, which at this season 

 are so plentiful in the turnips, 1 have often observed many very 

 dark birds, looking, when they first fly up, nearly as dusky as hen 

 blackbirds: they are certainly darker than any of our resident 

 thrushes, with the under parts a richer and deeper yellow-buff", and 

 the pectoral spots more prononce. 



Shorteared Owl— The night of the 16th of October was thick 

 and overcast, with a drizzling rain. On the morning of the 17th 

 I flushed a shorteared owl on the embankment: on the 19th 

 another, with the carpal joint broken, was sent me. I have it now 

 in a rabbit-hutch in the saddle-room. For seven days it resolutely 

 refused all food, and on the seventh night ate two sparrows. It 

 perches with facility. (See also 'Zoologist' for 1866, S. S, 74.) 



Snow Bunting.— October 17th. First seen. A large flock on 

 the 1st of November. 



Chaffinch. — October 28th. Several flocks of female and young 

 chafl5nches have arrived in our marshes. 



John Cordeaux. 



Great Cotes, Ulceby, Lincolnshire, 

 November 1, 1871. 



SECOND SERIES — VOL. VI. 3 jj 



