Birds. 6807 



ferent districts, and others have been seen. With the exception of a solitary straggler 

 or two, these birds have not visited us in any quantity since the winter of 1849 — 50, 

 when such large numbers occurred along the whole line of our eastern coasts, 

 as noticed in the ' Zoologist' at the time. — H. Stevenson ; Norwich, Dec. 15, 1859. 



Rare Birds at Scarborough. — I have had the following birds brought in to be pre- 

 served lately. The Egyptian goose {Anser CBgyptiacus), a very beautiful specimen, 

 shot out of a flock at Filey. The little gull (Larus minulus), in its immature plumage. 

 The little auk {Uria alte), also shot at Filey. The pinkfooted goose of Bartlett {Anser 

 hrachyrhynchus), shot at Hunmanby. — Alfred Roberts ; King Street, Scarborough, 

 December 5, 1859. 



Sport at the Scilly Isles. — The result of the shooting of a few friends of the Lord 

 Proprietor of the Scilly Tsles, who have been staying with him during the past month, 

 has been the bagging of one hundred and fifty-two snipes and ninety woodcocks. 

 Several long-eared owls, a merlin falcon, purple Tringfe, cirl buntings and brambling 

 finches have been observed on the Islands. — Edward Hearle Rodd; Penzance, 

 December 10, 1859. 



Occurrence of Rare Birds at Eastbourne, Sussex. — Some rather rare birds have 

 visited this delightful watering-place this season. On the 25th of April last a fine 

 hoopoe (Upupa epops) was seen several times at Compton Place, the seat of the 

 Hon. Mrs. Cavendish. On the 3rd of Seplember I saw, in the flesh, a most beautiful 

 wheatear {Sylvia cenanthe), pure white, with pink eyes, — in fact, a perfect albino, — 

 which was shot by a coast-guard man here. Dartford warblers {Sylvia provincialis) 

 are always to be met with in the furze growing on the hills (downs), and a short time 

 ago T found two, one of which I shot. On the 3rd of November a particularly 

 beautiful snow bunting {Emberiza nivalis) was shot close to the town, and purchased 

 by Mr. A. Vidler, the naturalist; he also has seen two more within these few days. 

 On the 5th of December a fine Norfolk plover, or thick-kneed bustard {CEdicnemus 

 crepitans), was caught alive in a field just below my garden, and which I added to my 

 collection. A large eagle (probably whitetailed) was seen, on the 16th instant, by a 

 coast-guard man, at Birling Gap, sitting on the beach, and which flew to the westward : 

 one is generally seen here in severe winters. Many goldeneyed ducks {Anas clangula) 

 have been shot during this severe weather, at a place called the " Crumbles." A haw- 

 finch (Fringilla cocco(hraustes) and brambling {F. montifringilla) were shot yesterday, 

 close to my house. I saw to-day (among a flock of larks) two snow buntings; they 

 were easily distinguished by the preponderance of white in their wings. — /. Dutton, 

 Consulting Ornithologist ; South Street, Eastbourne, Sussex, December 18, 1859. 



Occurrence of the Great Ashcoloured Shrike (Laniiis excubitor) in Aberdeenshire. — 

 A most beautiful adult male specimen of the above bird was killed by a young man, 

 near Hatton Castle, on the 28th of October last. Attention was attracted to it by an 

 unusually large number of small birds, fluttering and screaming round the place where 

 it was taken, — a garden hedge or enclosure. It was quite tame, at least, it suffered 

 the young man to approach several times very near before it sought to fly. When it 

 was shot it uttered several times a rather loud note, resembling the words " stack, 

 stacks." It was sent to me for identification, as also for preservation, — and I must say 

 that it was very full in flesh, — besides the one recorded by me in the ' Zoologist ' for 

 April last as being found at Drummuir, Banflshire. The stomach contained a small 

 ball of what seemed to be the hair and bones of a mouse or mice, with portions of the 

 elytra of beetles. These are two which have been met with this year, within, perhaps. 



