1420 The Zoologist— October, 1868. 



contented in a cage, and eats cabbage-leaves in your presence, when you give them to 

 it; in fact, it seems quite at home. — '■Field.' 



White Kangaroo. — One of the most beautiful natural curiosities in the colony is in 

 the possession of Mr. Hepburn, of Ballarat. It is a milk-white kangaroo, as tame, 

 docile and harmless as it is possible for any domestic animal to be. — Australasian. 



Vncommon Birds at Cobham, Kent. — We have had several rare birds at Cobham 

 this summer. During the beginning of August a buzzard, of the common species 

 I think, was several times observed. I saw it myself quite near me one afternoon, and 

 it was observed near the same spot on the eveuing of that day, and on the next day. 

 Each observer described it as a very big hawk, of owlish appearance and brown colour. 

 A young crossbill was caught in the garden of Cobham Vicarage during the summer. 

 As usual the hobbies are to be seeu in their old quarters, and the same number — three: 

 with my glass I could examine them wiih great accuracy, noticing the white cheeks, 

 black moustache, and the stripes on the breast. In the same wood I heard and saw a 

 raven on the 3rd of September: it is the first I have seen for a long time: one ancient 

 pair were shot on account of their annoying the herons so much. Two broods of the 

 great spotted woodpecker have been reared here this summer: the natives call them 

 "magpie galley-birds," galley-bird being their name for woodpecker. — Clifton; 

 Cobham Hall, September 4, 1868. 



A While Sparrowhawk in Suffolk. — A beautiful variety of the sparrowhawk, 

 perfectly white, was shot by Mr. Charles Nunu, on his farm at Fornham St. Gene- 

 vieve, during the latter part of last July, and was, I am informed, preserved by a bird- 

 stufferat Bury St. Edmunds.— T. E. Gunn ; Norwich, September, 1868. 



Blackbird nesting in a Cauliflower. — During the past season a cauliflower was 

 glowing in the garden of Mr. W. Tunnill, on the Downham Road, Ely, weighing 

 nearly nine pounds, on the top of which was a blackbird's nest containing four eggs. 

 The nest was neatly covered with the leaves of ihe plant. — Id. 



Reed Warbler.— As I see, in the September number of the ' Zoologist' (S. S. 1375), 

 that the Rev. H. Harpur Crewe does me the houour of wishing to hear further from 

 me on the subject of the doubtful reed warbler, which I brought before the notice of 

 the readers of this publication some few years since, 1 can only say that the experience 

 of the subsequent year strengthened my belief that this bird will eventually be placed 

 as a distinct species from Arundinacea. The year after my first communication on 

 this subject I obtained at the lilac plantation four specimens about the last day of 

 May : being obliged to shoot them at very close quarters, as the lilacs, drawn up to a 

 height of twelve feet or more, form nearly a thick canopy at the top, two specimens 

 ouly were good, one of thein exceedingly good ; both are added to my collection. 

 Siuce that time, although carefully looked for each season, not another specimen has 

 been seen there, or indeed in any part of our parish. The plumage looks altogether of 

 a darker hue than Arundinacea, the head flatter, in a straighter line with the beak, 

 which seems both longer and narrower. The whole head more resembles in shape and 

 appearauce the grasshopper warbler than the reed warbler. The gape also of this bird 

 is towards the base and throat of a fine orange colour when fresh killed, whereas in 

 Arundinacea— at leasl, in those I have seen in the flesh — the gape is yellower. My 



