1320 The Zoologist— August, 1868. 



" Wild Parrots in London. — The existence of wild parwquets in London is more 

 common than is usually supposed. A letter in a metropolitan contemporary states 

 that a good many of them frequent Russell-square, where they may daily be seen 

 feeding with the sparrows. The garden committee of the square, appreciating the 

 presence of the gay little strangers, have appointed a commissionaire to look after and 

 protect them." [The species is the grass parroquet (Melopsittacus undulatus). I was 

 perfectly cognizant of the fact as regards the birds long ago, but the idea of protecting 

 them is quite new to me. I should rather have expected to hear of the formation of 

 parrot clubs and offers by churchwardens of a premium on their heads. — Edivard 

 Newman."] 



Time of Arrival of Spotted Flycatcher in Stirlingshire. — I have to thank Mr. G. 

 Roberts for directing my attention to a mistake which I made as regards the time of 

 arrival of the spotted flycatcher in Stirlingshire. I fully intended to correct that 

 mistake some time ago, but something occurred which caused me to forget to do so, 

 and I have now to apologize, first, fur the mistake, which must have emanated simply 

 from my misjudgment at the time; and, secondly, for my having permitted such a 

 mistake to remain so long uncorrected. The spotted flycatcher in this county, as iu 

 most other localities, arrives amongst the last of the migratory species. Therefore, at 

 Zool. S. S. 68, fifth line from the top, for " much earlier," read " much later." — John 

 A. Harvie Brown ; Dunipace House, Falkirk, July 3, 1868. 



Crossbills at Scilly. — A flight of these birds made their appearance iu Trescoe 

 Gardens last Friday. Whether they were broods with the old ones I am unable to 

 say, as the variety of the tints and the mixtures of red, yellow and blue, baffles all 

 speculation. They must have arrived in a flight, as none were observed before. Some 

 had a considerable portion of red in their plumage, but none without a portion of dull 

 brown mixed with the plumage, which took away anything like brightness. One 

 I observed almost brown, with a slight tint of sulphur-yellow, and with the upper 

 rump bright yellowish green or oil-colour: perhaps the ordinary adult plumage is 

 bright scarlet, but the question is whether this in very old birds does not give way to 

 yellow, or a mixture of that colour with slate-blue. Some of the specimens I received 

 had blotches of all these colours intermixed, aud apparently under the influence of 

 moult.— Edward Hearle Rodd ; Penzance, July 8, 1868. 



[I have received several other communications on this subject, none I believe 

 intended for publication. Crossbills have occurred all rouud London during the past 

 month. — E. Newman.'] 



Note and Query regarding the Blaclcthroated Diver. — Having lately received from 

 a correspondent in Sutherland a remarkably fine female blackthroaled diver for my 

 collection, I am very anxious to be certain about what is the most natural position in 

 which it can be placed. I have seen during the last few years many pairs of these 

 birds in their breeding haunts, and 1 have never yet seen one sitting in an upright 

 position, but when on the ground always touching the surface with its breast and with 

 its legs pushed out behind it. I have also questioned many of the natives of Suther- 

 land, and, without a single exception, they have assured me that they never had seen 

 the blackihroated diver in any position on land save in that last described. A young 

 bird which I secured last year on the 8th of June (Zool. S. S. 857) lived a whole day 

 and part of a second, and did not seem to he inconveuienced by the slight wound 

 which it had received, as it willingly fed upon small pieces of raw fish, which we put 



