868 Birds. 



I am, however, unable to name the insect. In the stomach of the kestril were also 

 remains of one or two beetles. The subject of the food of birds is, I think, one of the 

 most useful parts, if not the most useful one, of the science of Ornithology, and de- 

 serves more extended investigation than it has hitherto met with. Although it may 

 be termed a cruel method, yet I agree with Mr. Bury in thinking that the only cer- 

 tain way of ascertaining the food of birds is to examine the contents of their stomachs 

 or crops. We may, no doubt, observe their motions to some extent, by the aid of a 

 good telescope, or by watching them from some place of concealment, but, for my 

 part, I like to " make assurance double sure," to be perfectly certain of a fact before 

 recording it. — Archibald Jerdon ; Bonjedward, January 9, 1845. 



Rooks breeding in November, — In the month of November, 1844, my attention 

 was attracted to a large solitary nest in the outermost branches of an old elm-tree, 

 not far from the Park entrance to Broughton Castle, Oxfordshire : at first I concluded 

 it must be a magpie's, which had become exposed by the fall of the leaf; however, on 

 looking again, I discovered that it was inhabited by a pair of rooks, and was after- 

 wards told by some labourers, who had watched its building, that the rooks were now 

 sitting. By the assistance of a glass, I was soon able to confirm their statement, as 

 well as to watch the process of incubation. I think it must have been on the 18th 

 of November that the young were hatched, at least I judged so from seeing the old 

 ones carry up food (grubs, &c, which seemed plentiful), for several days after that 

 date. The frosty mornings of the following week made the young ones cry out bit- 

 terly, when the weather becoming more and more severe, put an end to their sufferings. 

 It seemed some time before the old ones could believe it ; at any rate, they were very 

 unwilling to quit the branches near their nest. The situation which they had selected 

 was several hundred yards from the regular rookery, and, during the time of incubation, 

 six or seven other rooks might be seen looking on in mute astonishment at their 

 neighbours' mistake. I do not recollect ever having seen on record such an instance 

 as the above. Was it the second brood of the year, or the brood of birds which were 

 hatched in the early spring? — F. Wyatt ; Broughton, Oxfordshire, January, 1845. 



Occurrence of the Nutcracker and of the Golden Oriole in Sussex. In October 

 last, I saw, at a bird-stuffer's in Brighton, a specimen of the nutcracker (Nucifraga 

 Caryocatactes), which he told me he had received, in the flesh, from a farmer of the 

 name of Newman. I called upon him, and he informed me that it was shot by his 

 own nephew, a Mr. Roods, at Littlington> near Alfristone, in this county, on the 26th 

 of September last. It was flying across a turnip-field, and appeared to have risen 

 from a stubble near at hand. Unfortunately, the entrails had been removed previous 

 to its being sent to Brighton, which effectually prevented the possibility of ascertaining 

 the nature of its food : it appears to be an old bird, and is in excellent plumage, but 

 the sex was not ascertained. I of course purchased the bird. Mr. Newman showed 

 me, also, two specimens of the golden oriole, which he shot near Charleston, which is 

 not far from Alfristone. They are both males ; they were together when seen first, 

 and one of them, apparently a younger bird, was very tame. The other he chased for 

 some miles, it being very wild, and keeping to the tops of the highest elms. A third, 

 also a male, was shot a few days after, in the same neighbourhood, by a farmer of 

 the name of Saxby. These birds occurred in the beginning of May, 1833. — Win. 

 Borrer, jun. ; Brook Hill, Cowfold, Sussex. 



Nesting of the Swallow. No further observations appear to have been made on 

 the subject of the swallow building in chimnies, in Scotland. Having been accus- 



