THE ZooLocist—JoLy, 1875. 4533 
wheatears ran about on the open spots; higher up the moor peewits were 
wheeling about with that restless flight which proclaims the proximity of 
their nests; cuckoos were plentiful and vociferous; and all along the 
stream water ouzels, common sandpipers and gray wagtails abounded, and 
gave an appearance of life to the scene which would charm any lover of 
birds. The pied flycatcher was another denizen of the moor I looked long 
and narrowly after, and at last was gratified by seeing one sitting on a tuft 
of heath not far from the stream.—Murray A. Mathew; Bishop’s Lydeard, 
May 29, 1875. 
Birds in my Garden.—A note respecting the birds we see so near a large 
town—the part of Edgbaston in which I live being within two miles of the 
centre of Birmingham—may be of interest to you. At the bottom of my 
garden is a little pond pretty much grown over with pond-weed, and has 
abundance of reed (Arwndo) surrounding it. On this pond are usually a pair 
of moorhens that bring up an annual brood, the latter being despatched 
further off to seek their fortunes soon after they grow up—if indeed they 
escape the cats until that period. The moorhens have a lively “clucking” 
note that we often hear, but in addition to this I have heard for several 
nights lately a long guttural “c-r-a-k-e” repeated every twenty seconds 
or so. The sound does not seem to me rasping enough for the landrail, 
and appears to proceed from the water’s edge: it is continued for hours 
after dark, but is scarcely if ever heard until evening. Last autumn 
the pond above mentioned was frequented by a kingfisher, and in the winter 
a pair of wild ducks visit it occasionally for a few hours or days, affording a 
neighbour a chance of a shot—hitherto unsuccessful, I am happy to say, as 
faras I know. I am not aware of any other water birds, but on two occasions 
I have seen a flock of gulls pass overhead. The last time there were only 
two—large gulls—which seemed to have lost their bearings. One day two 
swans, apparently from the direction of the town, flew about fifty feet over- 
head, making a great noise. A few evenings ago I heard a woodpecker, and 
the cuckoo usually comes within earshot. A pair of magpies built for some 
years in a tree not far away, but I have not seen them for two years or so. 
In the late severe winter, whilst the snow lay so long on the ground, the 
rooks came to pick up some suet placed on the lawn twenty yards from the 
house: they were very wary, nevertheless, and sat in the trees a long time 
considering whether it was safe to venture or not; the moorhens joined 
them, and other smaller birds to pick up crumbs. The moorhens appeared 
to use their legs with difficulty, and frequently rested their bodies on the 
snow. In that same weather a polecat came through the front gate once or 
twice, looking for anything near the house, and last autumn I saw a stoat 
at the back. There are no trees of much size in my garden, but wood 
pigeons often build in some larger ones a little way beyond the lodge. 
Blackbirds and thrushes have, I think, increased in numbers of late years, 
SECOND SERIES—VOL. X. 2M 
