338 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



Nutcracker in North Devon. — I have to report the occurrence of the 

 Nutcracker, Nucifraga caryocatactes, which I observed in Huntshaw Woods, 

 near Bideford, North Devon, on July 14th. A bird of this species was 

 observed two years previously at Instow, near Bideford, by Mr. C. F. 

 Hinchliff, and he recorded it in his list of birds which was published in 

 'The Field' as occurring within seven miles of Westward Ho. Yarrell 

 also mentions it as having been observed in North Devon in 1808. When 

 I saw the bird in question it was perched on a withered larch-stump, where 

 it remained for about two minutes. I was quite close enough to ohserve 

 distinctly its plumage, and am perfectly certain that I am not mistaken as 

 to its species. — M. H. Rothkkam (Westward Ho). 



Hoopoe at the Fame Islands. — When upon a visit to these islands 

 a short time ago I saw a Hoopoe, Upupa cpops, at the birdstuffer's at North 

 Sunderland, which had been captured at the Longstone Lighthouse, having 

 injured itself, no doubt, against the lantern. 1 was unable to obtain the 

 exact date, but it was in the early part of June. — R.W. Chase (Edgbaston, 

 Birmingham). 



Hybrids amongst Birds. — Continuing the remarks on hyhrids among 

 birds, 1 should like to say that, like higher authorities, I have little faith 

 in Blackbird and Thrush hybrids. Though I have always takeu an 

 enthusiastic interest in small birds, 1 have never yet seen a hybrid of this 

 kind, and I have met with only one practical man who told me that he had 

 known these two species to interbreed. My impression is that the wild-bred 

 hybrids which are occasionally obtained are the offspring of accidental 

 crosses between birds which had previously chosen wild mates of their own 

 kind. To give an instance in point, I have been assured by Mr. Traviss, 

 the keeper of the Western Aviary at the Zoological Gardens, Regent's Park", 

 that he took a nest of young Goldfinches from the immediate neighbourhood 

 of a Greenfinch's nest. In the Goldfinch's brood he found a single hybrid 

 between Carduelis ele/jans and Litjurinns chloris, which he reared and kept 

 for a number of years; and which must have resembled a tame-bred hybrid 

 of the same kind which I happened to possess at the time I discussed the 

 point with him. Of course there are instances of a contrary description; 

 those related by Macgillivniv will occur to everyone. But I venture to 

 think that they are the exception, and not the rule, at least, among Finches. 

 It is a common thing — I know of two cases, as I write, in our parish — for 

 Canary-bieeders to have broods composed partly of pure Canaries and partly 

 of Goldiinch-Canary mules, the birds not being kept apart. In confinement, 

 amorous males often try to pair with strange mates. One mule-breeder, at 

 my instance, matched a male Greenfinch with a female Bullfinch, which 

 had bred with a Goldfinch the year before, and she laid a number of eggs; 

 none, however, proved fertile. Again, a male Hawfinch of my own rearing, 



