320 



NOTES : ORNITHOLOGY. 



from the nests and brought to me that led me to the identity of the 

 parent birds, which I subsequently confirmed. The disparity in size 

 of the two species would lead us to expect that the average egg of 

 the Tree Sparrow would be smaller than that of the House Sparrow. 



The most interesting part of Mr. Fawcett's paper is the para- 

 graph relating to the inter-breeding of the species. Mr. Fawcett truly 

 remarks on the shyness of the Tree Sparrow, and one would expect 

 some difficulty in noting such a fact as inter-pairing, but as his obser- 

 vations were almost constantly made during the breeding season, 

 I hesitate in casting any doubt on the fact. I should, however, like 

 to ask him if he has noted any disparity in the numbers of the sexes 

 of either species, and also if he has observed this inter-pairing at 

 any of the other colonies he mentions. In a private letter to me, the 

 Rev. H. A. Macpherson inquired if I had ever met with a hybrid, 

 and he also informed me that a supposed example had lately turned 

 up in Scotland, but he seemed to look upon it as a great rarity. 



I hope Mr. Fawcett will be able to confirm his notes by procuring 

 an example or two. This should not be difficult, as he seems to 

 have observed the inter-pairing on many occasions. If he is able to 

 do so, we shall have almost as interesting a case of interbreeding as 

 in the example of Lanius excubitor and L. major. I shall be happy 

 to send Mr. Fawcett a series of local Tree Sparrows' eggs for com- 

 parison, if he cares to have them, and I trust he will take my 

 criticism in as good part as it is intended. 



Sept. loth, 1890. 



NO TES— ORNITHOL OGY. 



Garganey in Cumberland. — An adult female (Jia.xg:iv\&y {Qtiej-qnednla ciiria) 

 was shot on the coast of Cumberland on the 15th of August, 1890. Her plumage 

 showed that she had recently nested, and her death was unfortunate. It is a rare 

 species in the N.W. of England at all times. — H. A. Macpherson, Carlisle, 

 Sept. 7th, 1890. 



Nesting of the Cirl Bunting at Lofthouse near Wakefield.— W.E.C., in 



the 'Naturalist' for May 1S90, says, in a footnote on the nesting of the Cirl 

 Bunting: — ' In the above communication we regret to observe that no mention is 

 made of the bird, the most, perhaps the only, satisfactory means of identifying the 

 ownership of the nests and eggs discovered. I may say both pairs of birds were 

 carefully observed during the many times I watched them through the field-glass 

 to discover the nesting-site. I have an excellent description of the birds in 

 Mr. Howard Saunders' new work. The throat, ear-coverts, and lores being black, 

 with the sulphur-coloured collar round the neck, were quite sufficient to convince 

 me of the identity of the birds, or any other person who thoroughly knows the 

 Yellow-hammer. There is as much difference in the plumage of the two birds as 

 there is in any of the other Buntings. There is no doubt many birds have come 

 to grief since the Preservation Act came into force that are never mentioned ; 

 I decline, therefore, to state what befell one of the male Cirl Buntings. — 



John Ward, Pymont House, Lofthouse, June 6th, 1890. 



Naturalist, 



