NOTES AND QUERIES. 189 



Gull (L. ridibundus), and also one large bird, probably the Herring Gull 

 (L. argentatus). This is the first time I have seen these birds so far up 

 the river ; no doubt they were driven up by the severe weather. — F. V. 

 Theobald (The Chestnut Grove, Kingston). 



Crossbills, Bramblings, and Black Redstart in the South of 

 Ireland. — I see it noted in 'The Zoologist' (p. 144) that Crossbills have 

 been numerous in Breconshire during the past winter. These " gipsy 

 migrants" have also penetrated here. On the 26th December last my 

 servants saw, close to this house, five birds "like Bullfinches, but larger," 

 whose bills they described to be like Hawks' bills, and the plumage of 

 some of them to be red. On February 20th Mr. R. E. Longfield, of Mallow, 

 wrote to tell me of several instances in which Crossbills had been shot near 

 Mallow and Doneraile, Co. Cork, during January and February. During 

 these latter months three Bramblings were obtained near this, and others 

 seen. They were the first Bramblings I ever saw in the flesh, the species 

 being uncommon in the Co. Waterford. On the 28th March last a Black 

 Redstart was disporting itself opposite the window while I was at breakfast. 

 On March 28th, 1880, Dr. Burkitt obtained an immature Redstart at 

 Waterford, probably of this species. This is the latest date in which 

 I have met with this scarce winter visitant. It usually occurs in the early 

 part of the winter, and probably visits us every year. It can no longer 

 be called rare here. Since writing the above I received, on April 6th, a 

 Crossbill, in fine brick-red plumage, shot near Cappoquin while in company 

 with another. On showing it to my servants they all identified it as 

 the species they saw here on December 26th. — R. J. Ussher (Cappagh, 

 Co. Waterford). 



Cirl Bunting in Breconshire.— I saw one of these birds, for the first 

 time in this county, on March 15th. Going out for a walk I noticed a bird 

 just outside my garden fly from a hedge into a tree, where it stayed until 

 one of my boys killed it with a catapult. It was a cock bird, in good 

 plumage. Two practical ornithologists, to whom I have shown the bird, 

 say they have never seen this species here before. This bird was alone, 

 and I expect was but an accidental straggler ; still I am pleased to have 

 been able to identify it, for it is a new addition to my list of Breconshire 

 birds. I need scarcely add I am having it preserved. — E. Cambridge 

 Phillips (The Elms, Brecon). 



Number of Eggs laid by the Cuckoo.— It is supposed that the 

 Cuckoo lays more than one egg in different nests, and probably more than 

 two, at intervals in the season ; Bewick says from four to six ; Blumenbach 

 also says six. The following observation came to the knowledge of a 

 friend of mine, and may tend to throw some light on the subject. He 

 knew a case in which a man killed two of these birds at one shot, and 



