4?36 Natural History in the English Counties, 



' Essex. 



Orldlus Qdlbula and Loxia Coccothramtes. — On the 10th of May, a bril- 

 liant specimen of the golden oriole was shot by the gamekeeper of H. Greene, 

 Esq., of Lawford Hall, near Manningtree, Essex. It had in its stomach the 

 remains of a ^Scarabae'us ilielolontha, and several small green caterpillars. 

 On the 14th of May, a male hawfinch (Loxia Coccothraustes) was shot in 

 an orchard in the parish of Higham, Suffolk : its beak was of a fine deep blue 

 colour. — .7. D. Hoy. Stoke Nayland, Suffolk, May 25. 



Bedfordshire. 



The Northern Diver (Colymbus glacidlis). — A fine specimen of this very 

 rare bird was shot in the river Ouse, about a mile from Bedford, on the 

 4th of February last : it weighed 4 lbs. 5 oz. It has been stuffed, and is now 

 in the possession of the person who shot it. — W.H. White, H. M. C. Bed- 

 ford, March 20. 



Suffolk. 

 Rare Birds, killed during the 4utumn and Winter of 1829 and 1830, in Sif- 

 folk, and on the Borders of Norfolk and Essex : — - 



Fdlco Ossifraga, Sea Eagle. Shot in Stour Zkrus minfitus. Little Gull. During last 

 Wood, near Harwich. Three other birds, winter three were shot, 



apparently of the same species, frequented Af^rgus serrktor. Red-breasted Merganser, 

 the rivers Stour and Orwell for some time Many were shot. 



during the cold weather. Merganser, Goosander 7 Very numerous, 



Lanius exciibitor. Great Ash-coloured Shrike. C&stor, female Goosan. Jboth in the salt- 



Near Ipswich. water inlets and fresh water. Several 



Plcus minor. Less Woodpecker. In a garden young males came under my observation 



in Ipswich. in a change of plumage ; showing clearly 



A'rAes, A^ycticorax, Night Heron. End of Oc- the identity of M. Merganser and M. 



tober, near Bildestone, Suffolk. Castor. 



J^nas glaciMis, Long-tailed Duck. Adults and .^Ica A'lle, Little Auk. 



young. Procellaria glacialis. Fulmar Petrel, 

 str^pera, Gadwall. pelagica, Stormy Petrel. 



f6sca. Velvet Duck. Males, females, and Phalaropus lobatus. Grey Phalarope. ^5 



young. About thirty were seen in the Tringa pusilla. Little Sandpiper. 



Stour, near Harwich : they are so expert P6diceps rubricollis. Red-necked Grebe. ] 

 in diving that but few were shot obscurus, Dusky Grebe. 



L&tris Cataractes, Skua Gull. St6rnus Cinclus, Water Ouzel, 



•iarus glaiicus, Glaucous GulL Gallinula Porxana, Spotted Rail. 



Early Arrival of Summer Birds, S^c. As the arrival of some of our sum- 

 mer migratory birds has this season been unusually early, I send you a list 

 bf those I have observed, in this neighbourhood : -r- 



Sylvia hippolkis. Least Willow Wren, Mar. 18. Salvia salicaria,1Sedge Warbler - April 22. 



Yunx Torquilla, Wryneck - - — 31. CCiculus can5rus. Cuckoo - - — 25. 



filr6ndo ripkria. Sand Marten. A flock Sy^lvia Sylvi^Ua, Lesser Whitethroat - —25. 



often ... April 1. sibilktrix, Wood Wren - - — 26. 



'^ rfistica. Chimney Swallow. Saw g /Tirftndo 6rbica, Martens. Saw several — 28. 



four - - - — 3. Muscicapa Grlsola, Spotted Flycatcher. 



Afotacilla flkva. Yellow Wagtail - — 3. Saw one (several seen May 1.) •• —89. 



Salvia Trochilus, Willow Wren - — 5. Columba Turtur, Turtle Dove - —30. 



Phoenicurus, Redstart - - — 6. Sylvia hort^nsis. Greater Pettychaps - — 30. 



Atricapilla, Blackcap . - — 7. arundinacea. Reed Warbler - May 4. 



( iuscinia, Nightingale - - — 9. Falco Subbiiteo, Hobby - - — 4. 



cin^rea. Greater Whitethroat. Saw Lanius Collurio, Red-backed Shrike - — 7. 



one - - - — 10. Hirdndo .4 ^pus. Swifts. Saw several - — 10. 



.^lauda minor. Field Lark - - —14. P^rdix Coturnix, Quail - - - —10, 



Sylvia Locustella, Grasshopper Warbler — 14. Caprimiilgus europas^us. Goatsucker - — 14. 



Rubfetra, Whinchat - 15. 



J. D. Hoy. Stoke Nayland, Suffolk, May 25. 1830- 

 Herefordshire. 



A Snipe of a novel Colour was shot in this neighbourhood, in the begin- 

 ning of the present month, which is now in my possession ; and though, 

 from being severely hit, it is badly preserved, yet, as I cannot identify it with 

 any described species, I value it as a curious lusus naturce; which, I am of 

 opinion, it must be, the length and shape of the bill, and the different marks 

 on the head and body, corresponding, except in colour, to the lines and bars 

 on the plumage of the common snipe (»S'c61opax Gallinago). The length of 



