2968 Birds. 



"f and drawling out the first note. On following the sound, I afterwards heard 

 about twenty double notes, but never more than one double note at a time. At last I 

 caught a glimpse of the bird ; and after the manner of a true wren, the little fellow 

 entered the bottom of a whitethorn and soon appeared at the top, when I shot him. 

 Having now obtained two specimens, I shall in all probability content myself with 

 observing its habits (should I again have an opportunity of seeing it) without molest- 

 ing it. — J. B. Ellman ; Lewes, November 7, 1850. 



Nest and Eggs of the Rose-coloured Pastor (Pastor roseus). — As very little seems to 

 be known about the nest and eggs of the rose-coloured pastor, perhaps you may think 

 the following worthy of notice in the ' Zoologist.' It was communicated to me by 

 Mr. Linder, who stuffed a great many of the birds in the museum here, and on whose 

 accuracy I can quite depend. The nest of the rose-coloured pastor has been found 

 three times in the canton of Geneva: the first instance was in the year 1810, at 

 Naydan, near Saleve ; the second at Vernoux, a village by the side of the Lake of 

 Geneva, in 1847; the third was in a hole in a nut-tree, and resembled that of the 

 common starling. The eggs are pure white, of the size and shape of those of the 

 common starling, in whose company the rose-coloured pastor is generally observed 

 hereabouts. — T.L. Powys; Geneva, October 26, 1850. 



Rook with slate-coloured back and belli/. — A rook was shot last week at Xewchurch 

 with the back and belly of a light slate-colour ; several others were seen at the time, 

 and as they appear never to have been seen here before, and as I can find no account in 

 Montagu's ' Dictionary,' I thought it might be rare. I enclose you a few of the slate- 

 coloured feathers from the back. — H. Drew ; Ventnor, Isle of Wight, October 30, 

 1850. 



[The feathers sent are those of the hooded crow (Corvus Comix) not those of the 

 rook (Corvus frugilegus). I cannot say whether my correspondent has mistaken the 

 species, or taken the feathers unintentionally from a wrong bird. — E. Newman.'] 



Immigration of the Black Grouse (Tetrao Tetrix) in the vicinity of Boivness. — It 

 is an interesting fact in the Natural History of our district, that we have had within 

 these few years, an extensive immigration of that noble bird, the black grouse, of 

 which, I believe, there is no record or memory that they ever existed here before. 

 Having heard that they were first seen in the neighbourhood of Sawrey, and feeling a 

 desire to know this to be a fact, as well as to ascertain the date of their first appear- 

 ance, I wrote to Mr. Wilson of High Wray, a gentleman, who, I was persuaded, could 

 satisfy me on these points. I subjoin a copy of his letter, which he has kindly per- 

 mitted me to send you. 



" High Wray, July 30th, 1850. — Esteemed Friend, I have been too long in 

 answering thy inquiries respecting the black game. The delay has arisen from my 

 wish to have my account, as to date, confirmed by another person. In the autumn of 

 1845, about September, I discovered, about a mile and a half from this place, in a 

 young plantation belonging to Henry Curwen, a brood of six or eight black game. I 

 believe these were the first seen anywhere in this district. I did not know certainly 

 what they were at the time, but immediately wrote a note to Braithwaite Hodgson of 

 Colt House ; and his nephew, Braithwaite Hawkrigg, a day or two later, was the first 

 to shoot two of them, which I am informed are cured, and are now in the possession 

 of W. Gurnett of Sawrey. I have never heard of their having been introduced by 

 any one here, and feel assured they came of their own accord. There are some now 



