2796 Birds. 



booming noise. Mr. Plant, of Leicester, writes me word, M my father 

 remembers a bittern being shot on the Trent, which was winged and 

 brought alive to the Cliff at Weston. As soon as the bird was set at 

 liberty in the house, it ran up to the fire and commenced an attack 

 upon the burning coals ! " This bird went into the possession either 

 of Mr. Bowman, of Melbourne, or a Mr. Mills or Wills, it is forgotten 

 which. In September, 1838, 1 was at the Cliff, and walking on the 

 canal bank from Shardlow, on a gloomy evening in a shower of rain, 

 when I came upon a bittern within the distance of a few feet ; as it 

 rose heavily, I struck at it with my umbrella, but it had passed over 

 the Treut. This is the only time I ever saw one alive. 



Glossy Ibis {Ibis falcinellus). A specimen of this beautiful 

 species was captured a few years ago at Chellaston, a neighbouring 

 village. It was seen passing over at an immense altitude, and being 

 fired at with a fowling-piece, received a wound on the wing. It fell, 

 and being taken alive, lived some months, feeding chiefly on young 

 frogs. It was afterwards preserved by Mr. Cook, Museum, Derby. 



Common Curlew (Numenius arquata). About six years ago, a 

 pair of the common curlew visited the meadows bordering on the 

 Trent. They came late in the spring or early in summer, and kept 

 about those parts where the herbage grew luxuriant, and also some 

 small pools where reeds and aquatic plants abounded. One bird was 

 several inches longer than the other, which was supposed to be 

 the male, but upon being killed, proved to be the female ; the other 

 escaped, and never found a second mate. They had, doubtless, come 

 from the sea-shore to their winter quarters, with the intention of 

 breeding ; but in no instance, either before or since, have I heard of a 

 curlew taking up its abode here on the banks of the Trent. Almost 

 every year, however, a number of these birds are heard passing 

 overhead, generally during the first week in April. These, I sup- 

 pose, are changing their winter quarters on our southern shores 

 for their summer haunts amongst the high grounds in the north 

 of England or the hills of Scotland. They pass over in the evening 

 or night ; but their line of travel is indicated by their peculiar and oc- 

 casionally repeated notes. 



J. J. Briggs. 



Melbourne, Derbyshire. 



(To be continued). 



