Birds. 2651 



knowledge, and the one from which the description has been taken, was shot near 

 Warwick, in December, 1846. One of the specimens of Lanius excubitor above 

 mentioned was taken in a brick-yard, in the suburbs of Stratford, in a most singular 

 manner : a boy had a tame goldfinch in a cage, hanging at the door of a cottage in 

 the brick-yard, in which were a number of people at work : the shrike was observed 

 to make a dash at the goldfinch, but was driven away : a little time after, however, 

 he was seen pulling the captive through the wires of his prison, by the head : he was 

 again driven off, but the poor bird was dead. A small steel mouse-trap, baited with 

 the dead bird, soon secured the assassin, and he was soon after brought to me. The 

 injured condition of the legs and tail bore witness to the boy's statement. — Robert F. 

 Tomes ; Welford, Slratford-on-Avon, November 5, 1849. 



Occurrence of the Pied Flycatcher (Muscicapa luctuosa) in Aberdeenshire. — In 

 May of this year there was shot, on the edge of a plantation near to Brucklay Castle, 

 in the adjoining parish of New Deer, a specimen of the pied flycatcher. It was 

 alone, and was flying from twig to twig, but was heard to utter no cry. It was sent 

 to Mr. Thomas Edward, Banff, by whom it was stuffed, and through whose kindness 

 it is now before me. It is a male, and is a fine specimen. In its contour and gene- 

 ral appearance it has a close resemblance to the first of the two figures of the pied 

 flycatcher in the edition of Bewick's Birds of 1826; but in the white mark on the 

 forehead, and in the distribution and arrangement of white on the other parts of the 

 body, it is much more like the second figure, which he gives as a variety of the spe- 

 cies. On consulting such ornithological works as are within my reach, I find that 

 the appearance of the pied flycatcher, in the locality now mentioned, must be regarded 

 as a very rare, or rather an unexampled occurrence. " We are not aware," says Sir 

 William Jardine, " that it has been met with in Ireland, or in any part of Scotland." 

 (Naturalist's Library, vol. xxiv. p. 220). — James Smith; Manse of Monquhitter, Aber- 

 deenshire, November 21, 1849. 



Note on the Pied Wagtail (Motacilla Yarrellii). — My attention has been drawn to 

 a fact which I believe is not at all generally known, viz., that in very old males, or 

 perhaps males of the age of three years of this species, the black on the back is re- 

 tained perennially in its full intensity. Those specimens which have a mixture, more 

 or less, of blackish gray on the back, in winter, are either birds of the year or one or 

 two years old, or else females. I have had an opportunity of examining a specimen 

 to-day of a black-backed bird ; and what I have advanced appears really to be the 

 case, that the intense black on the back of old male birds undergoes no change of hue, 

 either in winter or summer. Several specimens of the same kind have been since seen, 

 and this circumstance has led to my suggesting the above proposition. — Edward 

 Hearle Rodd; Penzance, November 1, 1849. 



Occurrence of the Ctrl Bunting (Emberiza cirlus) and Black Redstart (Sylvia Ti- 

 thys) in Norfolk). — I have seen one Norfolk specimen of the cirl bunting and two of 

 the black redstart, all killed about three weeks since. Both these species are very 

 rare visitors in this county. — J. H. Gurney ; Easton, Norfolk, November 22, 1849. 



Late Stay of the Swift (Hirundo apus) on the Southern Coast in 1849. — Three 

 specimens of the swift were seen at Kemp Town, Brighton, on the 29th of October 

 last. Single birds have, I am aware, been seen as late as November, but I never 

 heard of three being seen so late. They were flying about the cliffs, in the same way 

 as they are so often seen in July. I may add that the weather was particularly fine 



