302 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



My informant tells me that they very much resembled a hen Pheasant in 

 shape and plumage, the cross showing itself in a slight leg-feathering and 

 in the dark and light-coloured flesh on the breast, as in the Black-game; he 

 also adds that the flavour was delicious, surpassing, in his opinion, the best 

 Pheasant he had ever eaten. Soon after this, a fresh stock of Black-game 

 spread from this county into Carmarthenshire, where they have since 

 increased to an extraordinary degree ; Grey-hens became abundant, and 

 from this time I have heard of no more hybrids being killed. In fact, the 

 old Black-cock above alluded to returned to the Grey-hens the moment he 

 had the opportunity. I mention this because I think it shows a good 

 reason, though perhaps not a conclusive one, for the production of wild-bred 

 hybrids. Will Mr. Gurney kindly say if the hybrids he mentions between 

 the Greenfinch and the Linnet were wild-bred? because there is such a 

 dissimilarity iu size between the two birds that it makes one rather sceptical. 

 I can understand the Hooded Crow mating occasionally with the Carrion 

 Crow, as they are so very nearly allied. I am not aware whether this is a 

 common cross or not, and I fancy there must be some good reason for 

 its taking place, which might possibly be detected by careful observation 

 before or during mating. The breeding of the two Redpolls is also some- 

 what uncertain, as I imagine size would be almost the only indication. 

 From these remarks it will be gathered that I believe Nature runs strictly in 

 her own allotted grooves, and it is only when she fails to do so that the survivor 

 seeks for a mate as nearly as possible allied to his or her species, and the 

 result is, after all, only hybrids incapable of breeding inter se. The whole 

 subject is, however, most interesting, and so little is known of the cause of 

 the production of wild-bred hybrids that any information will be most 

 acceptable. — E. Cambridge Phillips (The Elms, Brecon, S. Wales). 



Hybrid between Greenfinch and Linnet. — I have in my collection of 

 varieties a hybrid of this kind caught in a wild state in Cambridgeshire ; 

 also one between a Goldfinch and a Linnet, shot near Mansfield. — 

 J. Whitaker (Piainworth Lodge, near Mansfield, Notts). 



Yellow Wagtail in Co, Dublin. — During the first week of June, when 

 walking with my wife along the shore from Malahide to Portmarnock, she 

 drew my attention to a very pretty yellow bird perched on the branch of an 

 old elder bush. I thought at first it might be a bright-coloured specimen 

 of the Grey Wagtail, MotaciUa sitJjihurea, but the absence of the triangular 

 black patch on the throat made me observe the bird more closely. As 

 Knapp says ('Journal of a Naturalist'), it seemed to court attention, and 

 gave us ample opportunity of observing its plumage and movements. On 

 reaching home I consulted Knapp, Yarrell(-tth edit.), Harting('Our Summer 

 Migrants'), and our Irish authorities, Thompson and Watters, and found 

 the plumage to be as therein described. It is the rarest of our three Irish 





