NOTES AND QUERIES. 335 



Plover. I cannot help thinking, however, that it is nothing more than a 

 nestling Lapwing. Unfortunately I do not remember ever to have seen 

 a Lapwing at this particular age, although I am familiar with them when 

 younger. It seems to me, as far as I can judge from the description in 

 Mr. Dresser's ' Birds of Europe,' which I read with the specimen before me, 

 that the dusky crescent-shaped mark on the breast, the brown mottling on 

 the back and wings, and the total absence of all signs of the golden or white 

 mottling, on which Mr. Dresser lays such stress, point to Vanellus rather 

 than to Squatarola. I should be very glad of any information on the point, 

 and also if any ornithologists familiar with the Grey Plover in down would 

 examine the bird when they chance to be in Oxford. T may add that it 

 uow stands, labelled " Grey Plover, young, Orkneys — Hope,'* in one of the 

 cases devoted to the collection of British birds. — Oliver V. Aplin (Great 

 Bointon, near Banbury, Oxon). 



Magpie attacking young Game Birds.— On the 7th July last, in a 

 wood at Northrepps, a Magpie was observed attacking a young Pheasant 

 about the size of a Thrush, which, after two or three assaults, it penned up 

 against the side of a bush, when a hen Pheasant, doubtless the mother of 

 the intended victim, appeared upon the scene and drove off the Magpie, 

 the young Pheasant at the same time making its escape, apparently un- 

 injured, being able to ruu away. As an illustration of the Magpie's voracity 

 this incident may perhaps be worth recordiug. — J. H. Gukney (Northrepps 

 Hall, Norwich). 



Golden Oriole in Essex. — On the 2'2nd May last William Cornell, my 

 father's farm-bailiff at Lindsell Hall, near Dunmow, shot either a female or 

 immature Golden Oriole, as it sat on an ash-tree in the orchard adjoining 

 the house. It had been heard about some days before being shot ; in fact, 

 the congregation in the church, which adjoins the house, on the previous 

 Sunday could distinctly hear its note, which was described as being a loud 

 and musical chatter, like that of some bird which had been taught to talk. 

 Unfortunately the sex was not ascertained. Its occurrence at this time of 

 the year made me think that it must be breeding ; but I am assured that 

 neither before nor since it was shot has another bird of the kind been seen 

 about, and I have searched unsuccessfully for a nest. It is an undoubtedly 

 wild bird, bearing on its plumage no sign of captivity, aud may therefore 

 be regarded as an accidental straggler from the Continent. The last occur- 

 rences of this bird in Essex which I am aware of were at a similar time of 

 year— namely, on the 25th May, 1850, — when one of a pair, probably going 

 to nest, was shot in a garden at Ley ton, as recorded by Mr. H. Barclay 

 (Zool. p. 2851), and on the 8th May, 1862, when a male in breeding 

 plumage was shot at Tiptree, as recorded by Dr. C. R. Bree (Zool. p. 8032). 

 I may just mention that, so far as rare birds are concerned, Lindsell Hall 



