Birds. 1191 



Occurrence of the Snow Bunting near Aylsham. As I was driving to Blakeney 

 last Tuesday, the 23rd, I observed a fine specimen of the snow-bunting (Plectrophanes 

 nivalis) on the road. It was very tame, and allowed the gig to approach within a few 

 yards before it took flight, when it flew only a few yards, and waited quietly while I 

 got out of the gig, loaded my gun, which I luckily had with me, and shot it. It was 

 in very fine plumage. I am not aware that it has been observed so far south at such 

 an early period of the season. There had been several sharp north-easters just before, 

 which had probably brought it over. — Henry T. Frere ; Aylsham, September 25, 1845. 



Siskins in confinement. Two male siskins have been kept by me for nearly two 

 years. Their song is agreeable, and their playful and interesting habits render them 

 the most amusing of our smaller cage-birds. A small flight visits the banks of our 

 river every spring, and may easily be taken with a hoop net : they are perfectly happy, 

 and feed directly they are caged. — F. W. L. Ross. 



Occurrence of the Nightingale in Devonshire. It has been frequently asserted that 

 the nightingale is not to be found in Devonshire. I had one which was shot in Stoke 

 wood, near Exeter ; and I understand they were known to frequent the same locality 

 for twenty years. The specimen was reluctantly killed to satisfy the doubts of sceptics. 

 During the past summer, these delightful songsters have been heard at Topsham. 

 Between the hours of 10 and 12, on a calm clear night, I had the pleasure of hearing 

 two : their song was rich and brilliant, and continued long after I retired to rest. — Id. 



Beak and Legs of the Avocet. I have examined the bill of the avocet, and from the 

 smooth appearance it presents on the convex part of the under mandible, consider the 

 bird seldom if ever uses it on the sands, which would wear it away, or give transverse 

 striae to its under surface. It has always been seen, when feeding, to be wading near 

 the edge of the water, where the small sand-hoppers and other insects are most abun- 

 dant ; by working its bill horizontally from side to side, and sucking at the same time, 

 a plentiful meal can be obtained. Few who have seen this bird in collections only, 

 can form an idea of the beautiful colour of its legs and feet. When recent, they are 

 a fine light blue, resembling the most delicate French kid, but change shortly after 

 death to dusky black. — Id. 



Occurrence of the Alpine Swift (Cypselus alpinus) near Cambridge. I was out 

 shooting with a friend in some fields near Cambridge, on the 26th or 27th of May, 

 1844, when I saw a bird which I supposed to be a swift flying towards us, and as it 

 approached my companion, he fired at but missed it. The report however caused it to 

 swerve in its course, so that the brown back and white belly were distinctly visible. I 

 immediately went to the collection at the Philosophical Museum, and after examining 

 the specimen there, I felt convinced that the bird I had seen was the real alpine swift. 

 Four months after this, I was talking about the birds in the neighbourhood of Cam- 

 bridge to a friend who has a very fair knowledge of birds, and without my introducing 

 the subject, he told me he thought he had seen a white-bellied swift flying about in 

 the fields near Granchester, about a mile and a half from Cambridge ; and upon com- 

 paring notes, we found that he saw the bird about a week after my companion had 

 fired at it : so that it is probable we both saw the same bird. It is not likely, I think, 

 that two persons seeing a bird at different times, and both agreeing in their descrip- 

 tion of it, could be entirely mistaken in their conclusion : but of this I will leave you 

 to judge. — E. B. Fitton ; 53, Upper Harley St., Cavendish Square, Sept. 20, 1845. 



Partial Migration of Birds, (Zool. 983). An instance of this kind I had the plea- 

 sure of seeing on the 19th of September, 1845. On accidentally looking out of the 



