6806 Birds, 



approach, the gveeu and yellow of their baclcs contrasting vividly with the dark bark 

 as they climb the trees in q lest of their insect-food. The nuthatch {Sitla europea) or 

 " French magpie," as it is there called, was also said to be abundant, but I only ob- 

 served two on the same morning in an orchard adjoining the house, and should pro- 

 bably have overlooked them had I not been attracted by their curious note. Very 

 fine specimens of the elegant gray wagtail (Molacilla boarula) as well as the com- 

 mon pied variety frequented the roofs of the house and outbuildings. Ou the banks 

 of the " Wye" the kingfisher is seen in considerable numbers, also the common sand- 

 piper or summer snipe, moorhens, and occasiuiially herons, and, as I was informed, the 

 water ouzel {Cinclus aquaticus), though I did not see the latter there ; I was, however, 

 more fortunate nearer home: as I was strolling, gun in hand, early one morning in 

 search of woodpigeons, on the elevated bank of a small stream about one hundred 

 yards from the house and close to a miniature waterfall, I heard a wild,''sweet note 

 sounding clear above the rushing of the water and echoing back from the overhanging 

 banks ; my curiosity being aroused, determined me, if possible, to discover the songster. 

 I accordingly descended, and by means of a rustic bridge crossed the brook : 

 immediately on my doing so a bird flew out of the opposite bank, shooting down the 

 stream and reminding me somewhat of the flight of the kingfisher ; at first I was 

 taken by surprise, but succeeded in shooting it, and found it to be a very beantiful 

 specimen of this singular bird, which I had vainly endeavoured to procure on the 

 banks of the river. As to our rarer visitors, T fear my stay was not suflSciently pro- 

 longed to give me an opportunity of observing them, nor did I succeed in obtaining 

 any reliable information respecting their appearance. — John Henri/ Belfrage ; 7, Neio 

 Inn, Strand. 



Ornithological Occurrences in Norfolk. — An immature male eider duck was shot at 

 Blakeney, on the 25th of October. The feathers on the breast of this specimen ex- 

 hibit the earliest state of change from the plumage of the female, each feather being 

 barred with black and white and tipped with brown, the dark fringe partly concealing 

 the brighter tints, giving a curiously mottled appearance. Another male, in the same 

 state of plumage, was more recently obtained at Yarmouth. On November 11th, 

 a fine old male of the hen harrier was killed at Kanworth, and about the same lime 

 an adult female was winged and taken alive, at Horniug, in the same neighbourhood. 

 The latter bird, very probably the mate of the Eanworth specimen, is now in the 

 aviary of J. H. Gurney, Esq., at Cation Park. These birds were formerly very plentiful 

 in our marshes, but — from extensive drainage and other causes — have, wiih their 

 kindred species, become more and more scarce, the adults, especially, being very rare. 

 I had never before the pleasure of handling a recently-killed specimen of the old hen 

 harrier in its delicate blue and white dress, although Montagu's harrier, in the same 

 stage of plumage, occurs from time to time. A female velvet scoter was shot on 

 November 14th, at Yarmouth, and a single specimen of the little auk was lately 

 picked up alive in a ditch in this neighbourhood. This is the only one of these 

 storm-driven wanderers that I have heard of this season. Peregrines, chiefly young 

 birds, and ospreys, have been more numerous than usual on our coast during their 

 autumnal migration ; a curious light variety of the former, a young female, bearing 

 much resemblance about the head to the " Saker falcon," was killed at Ranworth. 

 Several fine specimens of the hawfinch have been met with in various parts of the 

 county, and that irregular visitant in sharp winters, the Bohemian waxwing, has 

 appeared in several instances. I have already seen four beautiful specimens from dif- 



