NOTES AND QUERIES. 191 



tlie road. During a severe storm, and whilst shooting Grouse on the 

 Marsdeu Moors last August, I observed an Oystercatcher. I imitated its 

 call until it came within shot, when I fired at and killed it. I have never 

 before noticed an Oystercatcher so far inland. I saw a pair of Ring Ouzels 

 on the '25th September last, feeding on mountain ash berries, on the skirts 

 of Clues Lloor, near Huddersfield. I suspect they breed in the neigh- 

 bourhood occasionally, as they do on the Malvern Hills. I shot a hen- bird 

 near the same spot last April, and found that the crop was well filled with 

 ivy-berries, and the ovary contained eggs in an early stage of development. 

 Crossbills appeared about the iOth October. On the 20th of that mouth 

 I observed several in some fir trees adjacent to Blackmoor Foot Reservoir, 

 feeding on the fir-cones. Their appearance here is rarely noted. About 

 the same time several Hawfinches were observed feeding on hawthorn 

 berries in the orchard at the back of ray house. The Brambling, or 

 Mountain Finch [Fringilla montifringiUa, Linn.), is one of the latest 

 migratory visitors to the moors ; I noticed them on November SOth in 

 beech trees surrounding the beautifully situated residence of Mr. Joseph 

 Crowther, Marsden ; and on the same day I flushed a Water Rail, Ballus 

 aquaticus, which I shot. On October 1 0th I Hushed and shot at a Great 

 Snipe on the Blackmoor Foot Moors. It has beeu observed several times 

 in the neighbourhood.— Isaac Harding (Lenthwaite, near Huddersfield). 



Great Grey Shrike in Suffolk.— On February 29th, while walking 

 home from Woodbridge, about 4 p.m., I noticed a peculiar looking bird 

 fly with something in its bill, and perch upon the tallest bough of an oak. 

 Carefully walking up to the bird, which allowed me to get close to it, I saw 

 it was a female Great Grey Shrike, Lanius cxcubitor, a rare bird in this 

 locality, and was delighted to get such a good view of it. It took no notice 

 of me, and, wishing to see it on the wing, I was actually compelled to 

 throw stones at it.— E. C. Moor (Great Bealings, Woodbridge, SuSblk). 



Early nesting of the Common Heron.— Last year I paid a visit to 

 a heronry on the 23rd March, and although it was bitterly cold just then, 

 the winter had been very open and mild. Most of the nests contained 

 young ones, but I succeeded in getting a clutch of four eggs, considerably 

 incubated. This year I again visited the heronry, but a month earlier, 

 viz., on the 23rd February. Five nests were examined, with the following 

 results:— one contained four eggs; another four fresh eggs, slightly in- 

 cubated; whilst three contained young ones apparently only a day or two old, 

 whose eyes were, however, partially open, showing the lemon-yellow irides. 

 In this case the eggs must have been laid in January ; but I can hardly 

 suppose that when, as often happens at this time of year, the streams and 

 ponds are frozen over, they would breed so early. The popular belief was 

 current in the neighbourhood that the old birds hang their legs over the sides 

 of the uests- an uncomfortable proceeding, I should imagine, as the nests 



