Correspondence, Notes, etc.



38i



later that Willughby, or his Editor, writes, “ Nowadays there be many of

them brought over ; nor are they sold so dear but that even mean persons

can afford to buy them.”


The extra-ordinary confusion concerning the habitat of which

Dr. Creswell complains, does not appear to exist, at least I have been unable

to trace it, the only reference I can find with any doubt expressed is in

Syme’s “British Song Birds,” (1823), and his remarks were copied into

Rennie’s edition of “ Montagu’s Ornithological Dictionary,” (1831), probably,

as Dr. Creswell states there is a confusion, they may have been repeated in

some of the handbooks of which a good number have appeared of late

years, but I have not consulted any of these, nor as they are written chiefly

for fanciers do I think importance would be attached to this portion of

their work.


The following account, by Canon Tristram in the Ibis for 18S9, pages

22—23, is very interesting and well worth reprinting as not many

recent Ornithologists have written about the bird in its wild state.


“Up to this time, though I had frequently seen the Linnet and the

Goldfinch, I had not yet found the Canary bird, but at length secured one

of a pair sitting in a peach-tree overhanging the path. The Canary is

certainly much scarcer in Canaria than in Tenerife or Gomera. In fact it

was not easy to get more than one or two in a day’s ramble, while in the

other islands one might without trouble secure more in a morning than I

should care to skin in a day.


“I11 Canaria, though it descends lower than the Tintillon, I never saw

it, as I did in Tenerife, near the sea-level; but I was told that in winter it

comes down in small flocks to the coast. I often saw Canaries feeding

along with Linnets. I11 the other islands we found in May large flocks of

the national bird above the forests, among the pine trees at a height of

5000 feet. They appear to be chiefly birds of the year. Their song is

identical with that of the domesticated race, or perhaps finer. I listened to

a singing-match between a Canary and a Linnet in two neignbouring trees,

and the superior power and richness of the notes of the former were indis¬

putable. Its habits, as might be expected, hardly differ from those of the

Linnet, excepting that it more affects trees and perches higher. The nest

is neat and Linnet-like, abundantly lined with goat’s hair. A thriving

trade is carried on at the Port with the passengers of the African and New

Zealand steamers in yellow Canaries, which fetch a fancy price, as being the

“ real tiling.” I was amused to find that these birds priced at from three to

five dollars, while the real native, perfectly tame and singing as well as the

other, could be had for half a dollar.” Onpookpr.


WOOD-WARBLER IN LONDON.


Sir, —This morning, September 1st, our lad found a specimen of the

Wood-Warbler (Phylloscopus sibilatrix) 011 the ledge of our Office, 7, Princes



