2020 Birds. 



was first observed sitting on it ten days ago, but afterwards deserted. Till to-day the 

 weather has generally been very mild for the season of the year, which may in a mea- 

 sure account for this early nesting. To-day however is more seasonable, the ground 

 having put on its snowy mantle. — Beverley R. Morris, A.B., M.D. ; York, January 18, 

 1848. 



Curious Nesting-place of Robins. — In the summer of 1846, a pair of redbreasts 

 {Erythaca rubecula) made their nest and brought up young in a constantly-inhabited 

 bed-room at Roydon Hall. The nest was made on the top of the window-curtains. 

 — If. T. Frere. 



Extraordinary Assemblage of the Golden-crested Regulus (Regulus cristatus). — About 

 a fortnight since, whilst shooting, at ths sand-banks on the Dorsetshire coast, near 

 Poole, I was passing along the edge of a large fir-plantation, which extends completely 

 down to the open beach, when my attention was attracted by a sound, which appeared 

 to be the twittering of multitudes of little birds among the fir-trees, some of which I 

 saw hopping about the heath at the edge of the wood. Upon entering the plantation 

 I observed them flying in every direction from branch to branch, and running upon 

 the bark with great agility, constantly introducing their beaks among its crevices. 

 My curiosity being excited by the minuteness of these birds, as well as by their vast 

 numbers, and not being able to recognize them, I shot one, with a view of ascertaining 

 what they were, and upon picking it up I found it to be the golden- crested regulus 

 {Regulus cristatus). I afterwards shot four more in different parts of the flock, and 

 found them to be all of the same species. Their note was short and monotonous ; and 

 I observed that each lime after I shot, the whole wood was quite silent for some mi- 

 nutes, and the birds during that time were perfectly still, after which they recommenced 

 their twittering cry and active movements. I could not form any accurate estimate 

 of their numbers, but I am sure I am far within bounds when T say that there must 

 have been several hundreds of them in the small part of the wood over which I walked : 

 as I only examined a small portion of the plantation, not penetrating it more than 

 two or three hundred yards, where I still heard and saw them on every side, their num- 

 bers most probably were very great indeed. Mr. Yarrell quotes a passage from Selby, 

 in which a somewhat similar instance is recorded, but in that case the birds appeared 

 exhausted, as by a long flight, whereas those that I saw were vigorous and active. — 

 S. J. A. Salter ; King's College, London, January 17, 1848. 



Mule between Cirl Bunting (Emberiza cirlus) and Canary. — On the 27th of July, 

 last year, a nest of the cirl bunting, containing four young birds, was discovered in a 

 low bushy thorn, in a quarry near this town (Kingsbridge). One of these I procured, 

 and for several days fed it upon soaked bread, crushed rape-seed and hard egg, upon 

 which food it thrived exceedingly well. When feathered and enabled to feed it itself, 

 I gave it the range of my aviary, in company with several canaries and other small 

 seed-birds. It has, from that time to the present, enjoyed uninterrupted and perfect 

 health, and is a most sprightly and beautiful male bird. In June this year it mated 

 with a canary of the preceding year, also reared in the same room. One young bird 

 was reared, a lively little fellow, partaking more of the habits of the bunting than the 

 canary, one marked characteristic of which is its habit of crushing the hemp-seed with 

 the hard bony palate, instead of shelling it with the edges of the beak, as in the finch 

 tribe. It is smaller than the canary, more lively and quicker in its actions, and has 

 also always had the range of the room. This mule bird is, I believe, a hen, there be- 

 ing very little dark plumage under the throat or sides of the head : in other respects 



