Birds. 7105 



near the fire as practicable, and was as tame as a cat, one or two of which animals 

 were its companions and playfellows. The night was passed in a box covered up 

 close to the fireplace. When the cuckoo was visited by my informant it appeared like 

 a young bird not fully fledged, but its mistress stated it to be then moulting, and that 

 it had been well feathered some time before. That the cuckoo had survived the 

 severe cold of last December was a circumstance to afibrd some hope of preserving it 

 through an English winter, though on the other hand the fact of its moulting during 

 that season was unfavourable to such a prospect. However, the bird lived some time 

 longer, but I heard a few weeks ago that it had died (appropriately ?) on the 1st of 

 April, so that this experiment to acclimatize a cuckoo, if promising at the commence- 

 ment, has not succeeded better than others. — Arthur Hussey ; RoUingdean, June 16, 

 I860. 



Return of a Hooded Crow to a Walled Garden in which it had been confined. — Some 

 of your readers may probably recollect the curious example of instinct shown by a 

 herring gull which for some years has been in the habit of returning each winter to 

 the Zoological Gardens, where it was reared. A yet more singular instance has lately 

 come under my observation. In the beginning of the winter 1858—9 a hooded crow, 

 slightly wounded, was given to the son of Mr. Vaux, brewer, Sunderland. The crow 

 was turned into a walled garden and poultry yard, and fed regularly with the fowls, 

 whom it exhibited no inclination to molest. It soon recovered, but remained, though 

 never pinioned, until the month of March, 1859, when it disappeared. This winter it 

 returned to the garden and joined its old companions of the poultry yard ; nor did it, 

 up to a fortnight ago, ever quit the premises, feeding with the hens, and roosting every 

 night in its accustomed tree. The kindness with which it had been treated has won 

 its confidence, and it exhibits no more fear of man than does a domestic fowl. — H. B. 

 Tristram ; Castle Eden, Ferry Hill, April 5, 1860. 



Occurrence of the Serin Finch (Fringilla Serina, Linn.) in England. — On a recent 

 visit to Brighton I was shown a specimen of this bird that was caught in a clap-net 

 near there, on the 20th of June, 1859. It is in the possession of Mr. H. Pratt, of 

 35, Duke Street, Brighton, who had the bird very shortly after its capture. It was 

 described as being quite alone and very wild. I believe it is a female. I have since 

 seen another, a fine male, captured near London last autumn, shortly after the severe 

 storm in October. I believe this is the first time this bird has been recorded as a visitor 

 to this country. — Frederick Bond ; Cavendish Road, June 7, 1860. 



Localities of Sylvia Luscinia. — In Professor Kinahan's very interesting paper on 

 Migratory Birds, published in the 'Zoologist' last month, some remarks occur regarding 

 the English localities of the nightingale {Sylvia luscinia). Having studied the subject 

 so carefully as he has done, I presume Dr. Kinahan is acquainted with all published 

 records hitherto made ; if so, I have several new localities to add to those named in his 

 paper ; and I think it right also to point out that he is in error as regards the assertion, 

 " It is common only in the easternmost of these shires,'' meaning the easterly portion 

 of England. Wiltshire is not among those enumerated by Dr. Kinahan, yet the night- 

 ingale not only occurs in both north and south of it, but is extremely abundant in my 

 neighbourhood. In the woods of Clarendon Park, and all about Farley and Alderbury, 

 it may be heard singing all day long as well as at night, and not merely a single indi- 

 vidual here and there, but generally several in one spot. I have also met with the 

 nightingale in the south of Dorsetshire, at Wareham, where it is not infrequent, and 



XVIII. 2 s 



