4534 TuHE ZooLocist—JuLy, 1875. 
notwithstanding their extreme folly, so to speak, in the choice of places for 
their nests. This year a thrush built in a low holly close to the back door, 
frequented diurnally by butcher-boys, &c., but their greatest enemies are 
the cats, who eat the young ones out of their nests. I keep a fine buzzard 
in a cage, and I feel mightily disposed to give one of them a taste of his 
talons, but do not feel quite certain how the battle might go: he got out 
the other day and pounced upon a smart Scotch terrier, making him cry 
out vigorously for the man to come to the rescue. Swallows build in a shed 
in the stable-yard, about ten feet above the head of a retriever, and where 
there is constant passing. Starlings build about the chimneys. Blue and 
cole tits are frequent in the winter, and the goldcrest is seen now and then. 
One morning last week a great scurry and screaming of birds came almost 
close to my head as I was gardening, and I saw on their rising that it was 
a sparrowhawk pursued by swallows and swifts; they chased him a little 
longer, when he rose higher and they left him, and he sailed off majestically 
but discomfited: this is the only time I remember seeing a hawk so near 
the house. Whilst referring to water birds, I might have mentioned that 
one evening, not long ago, a great crested grebe flew against the spire of a 
chapel in the town, and was killed by the blow. I could mention rare birds 
that have been shot near the town, but confine myself to my garden, which 
is distinctly suburban, not rural. There are also whitethroats, chaffinches, 
greenfinches—not numerous—and gray wagtails. These, 1 think, make 
up our list, except the few very common birds, of which the omnipresent 
sparrows are the most numerous. What is the good done by sparrows to 
themselves or their human friends when they bite off the crocuses? I never 
could see anything in it but mischief—a sad repayment for the supply of 
winter crumbs. Why is it that some of my sparrows wear no tails? For 
years I have watched and observed some of them destitute of that usual and 
comely appendage. It cannot be moulting in winter—hardly can it be cats. 
I look for a Darwinian race of tailless sparrows, but I do not think they 
multiply of late. I can, however, generally discover one or two after 
observing a short time. They fly well enough, but look odd on the wing. 
Possibly this may be not an unusual thing, but I never saw it noticed: 
better ornithologists than I am may be familiar with the fact—W. Southall ; 
Birmingham, June 11, 1875. 
Climate and Ornithology of Achill.—In the June number of the ‘ Zoolo- 
gist’ (S. S. 4494) you have expressed a wish that I should state the supposed 
inducement of various birds to visit Achill and remain for the winter. From 
close observation for the last twenty years, I have no doubt that it arises 
from the climate being much milder than it is even a few miles inland, — 
owing partly to the influence of the Gulf-stream on this coast, and also to 
the prevailing wind being from the south and west, which comes over the 
Atlantic Ocean and is tempered by it. I believe the birds come to escape 
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