410 presidential address. 



Matters oe Interest to the Naturalist. 



Amongst matters of interest to the naturalist I may mention 

 that the Crossbill, Loxia curvirostra, has visited us in some 

 numbers this year. Mr. Hancock, in his Catalogue, mentions 

 their occurrence in 1856 and 1869. On the 5th January, this 

 year, several were shot at "Whittonstall, near Stocksfleld; and 

 again a few at Winlaton, on March 2nd, and where, on the 

 following day, Mr. Thomas Thompson, one of our Honorary 

 Secretaries, in company with Mr. T. Eobson, had the pleasure, 

 for the first time in his life, of seeing these birds in a wild state. 

 Ten of them were feeding on the Scotch Firs. They were very 

 tame, and some of their movements resembled those of the Tit- 

 mice. Two were in the red dress or plumage, while the others 

 were green. They remained in the neighbourhood up to the 

 28th of March, but got wilder and more difficult of approach. 

 Their note resembles that of the French Linnet or Lesser Eed- 

 pole, Fringilla linaria, more than that of any other bird. 



Amongst other occurrences of the year I may mention that a 

 flock of fourteen Turtle Doves, Columba turtur, were observed 

 at Seaton Burn. On June 8th, two female Ruffs, Machetes 

 pugnax, in summer plumage, were observed at Newbiggin-by- 

 the-Sea, a late date for these birds to be seen. 



Mr. Duncan, the taxidermist, also informs me that on August 

 21st, a curious variety of the Common Snipe was shot near 

 Morpeth. This bird was nearly white, with the markings of 

 the Snipe family shown. 



In the latter part of October several Rough-legged Buzzards, 

 Archihuteo lagopus, were observed in Northumberland, and one 

 seen on Newcastle Town Moor. 



On January 26th, this year, a specimen of the interesting 

 brown variety of Partridge was shot near Morpeth.* This variety 

 first made its appearance in our district in 1863, and is fully 

 described by Mr. Hancock in his Catalogue. It has been ob- 

 served in a few localities only in Northumberland, no record of 

 its occurrence in the county of Durham being known. 



* This variety seems to be identical with the Perdix cinerea, var. montana, figured in 

 the Naturalist's Library, Vol. IV., Part II., Plate 2, by Sir William Jardine. — Ed, 



