Letters, Extracts from Correspondence, Notices, ^'c. 113 



5 Peel Ten-ace, Brighton, 

 Nov. 25, 1864. 



Sir, — On the 2nd of this month a boy brought to Mr. 

 Swaysland, the naturalist in this place, a very small bird of an 

 unknown species, which he had just caught outside the town. 

 Mr. Swaysland immediately sent for me ; and I carefully ex- 

 amined it alive to discover, if possible, any signs of captivity. 

 The edges of the feathers and the top of the head were perfect ; 

 and, above all, there were no square marks on the feet, such as 

 are caused by the perch of a cage. These indications being all 

 satisfactory, I concluded that we had a wild bird before us, and 

 a short investigation made it pretty clear that the species was 

 the Emheynza pusilla of Pallas. 



I then wrote to Mr. Gould, who kindly undertook to exhibit 

 it at the meeting of the Zoological Society on November 8th, and 

 he has since drawn its portrait for his magnificent book on British 

 birds. 



On the 30th September, this year, another living example of 

 the Tawny Pipit {Anthus rufescens), caught near Brighton, was 

 brought alive to Mr. Swaysland, who showed it me at once. This 

 is the third I have seen : the two former ones were mentioned in 

 the ' Ibis' (1863, pp. 37, 38) ; and I consider this Pipit now 

 takes rank as a British bird, which Emberiza pusilla can as yet 

 be hardly said to do. I remain, &c., 



George Dawson Rowley. 



Sib, — 'During the greater part of the month of September 

 a pair of Ospreys [Pandion haliaetus) frequented the large 

 reservoirs of the Paddington Canal at Wilstone, Herts, and 

 Marworth, Bucks, two villages immediately adjoining my own 

 parish. They were very fearless and tame, catching fish whilst 

 persons were standing close by. Their sociable habits, alas ! 

 proved fatal to them ; for, on the 30th September, the female 

 bird was killed while in the act of eating a fish. It was sent to 

 a village bird-stufifer, who unfortunately laid it on the floor of an 

 outhouse. A rat got in during the night, and terribly mutilated 

 the head. It was not till after this occurred that I heard of the 

 bird having been killed. Its owner, as soon as he heard of the 



N. S. VOL. I. I 



