THE ZooLocist—Markcu, 1875. 4381 
Marsh Harrier near Newbury.—A fine specimen of the marsh harrier 
was shot near here on January 13th by a friend of mine, when shooting in 
the meadows near Newbury; the bird was flushed from a bunch of reeds, 
and was feeding on the remains of a teal. I had not the pleasure of 
seeing the bird, but from the description my friend gave me I expect it was 
a female—W. H. Herbert ; Wyfield Manor, February 18, 1875. 
Redwing killed by a Crow.—On the 26th of December, 1874, a game- 
keeper at Northrepps, in Norfolk, observed a redwing which, whilst flying 
some eight or ten yards from the ground, was struck to the earth bya 
hooded crow, which fell to the ground with it; but upon my informant 
running up flew away with its prey into an adjoining wood. The redwing 
was no doubt much weakened by the effects of the severe weather, but the 
circumstance of its being thus captured on the wing seems to me to be 
worthy of record.—J. H. Gurney ; Northrepps, January 23, 1875. 
Hobby and Egyptian Goose near Hereford.—A female hobby was 
brought to one of our birdstuffers in the early part of October. It was 
shot at Lyde, three miles from this city; examples of this species are 
rarely obtained in this neighbourhood. About the same time three 
Egyptian geese were shot at Whitwick, by Mr. P. S. Morris; they were 
immature birds.—J. B. Pilly ; Hereford, January 21, 1874. 
Nightingale’s Nest in a Fir Tree.—I found at Kreuznach, Germany, 
last year, a nightingale’s nest placed among the branches of a small fir, 
about five feet and a half from the ground. I saw the bird on the nest, 
which was of the usual materials. There were plenty of more suitable 
localities in the neighbourhood.—John P, Thomasson ; Alderley Edge. 
Chiffchaff in February near Plymouth—Oun Tuesday last, the 16th of 
February, whilst walking on the Plymouth and Saltash road, when within 
a mile of Plymouth, I was much surprised to hear the familiar notes of the 
chiffchaff. At first, the sound coming from some distance, I thought 
I might possibly have been deceived, but on my getting near some elms 
growing near the road, I heard the notes several times repeated, so as to 
leave no room for doubt on the matter, and at last I had the satisfaction of - 
seeing the bird itself, busy among the branches of the elms in the pursuit 
of some insects, which a remarkably warm and bright day had called forth. 
T stood and watched it for some minutes, and had the pleasure of hearing it 
again give out its cheerful double note. Iam aware that several instances 
are on record of the chiffchaff having been noticed in the winter, so that the 
fact I now communicate only adds another to the number, and tends to 
strengthen the opinion advanced by Montagu that the species does not wholly 
quit our shores before winter. This admirable ornithologist says the earliest 
he ever heard was on the 14th of March: I have noted its appearance or 
song twice on the 15th, near Plymouth, but usually it is not heard here until 
about a week or ten days later. I may add that it is very common in this 
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