Birds. 2229 



served by Mr. Gordon, of the Dover Museum, is in the possession of Mr. John 

 Chaffey, of Dodington, whose collection of rare British birds is unrivalled. — F. Plom- 

 ley, M.D., F.L.S.; Maidstone, Kent, July 6, 1848. 



Occurrence of the White Wagtail (Motacilla alba) near York. — On the 13th of 

 July last I observed, on the banks of the river Ouse, about one mile above York, what 

 I take to be a rather unusual visitor so far north, — the white wagtail. I noticed the 

 bird several times during an hour or two I spent about there (the sandy beach at 

 Clifton), and certified to myself that I had made no mistake. This was confirmed to 

 my mind by observing a specimen of the bird in the Yorkshire Museum there a day 

 or two after. Perhaps this fact may be accounted for on the score of the exceedingly 

 hot weather at that time, which any one visiting the Agricultural Exhibition on that 

 day cannot but remember.—/. S. Webb ; Huddersfield, August 12, 1848. 



Occurrence of the Cirl Bunting (Emberiza cirlus), $-c, near Worcester. — A gentle- 

 man in this county (Worcestershire) has shot lately three specimens of the cirl bunting 

 at Malvern : all of them are males, but I should not forget to mention that the fe- 

 males were seen there with them. A Virginian nightingale was also shot within three 

 miles of Worcester last week ; but, although I cannot hear of one having escaped from 

 confinement in the neighbourhood, I presume it must have been a tame bird. — M. 

 Curtler ; Bevere House, Worcester, July 20, 1848. 



Occurrence of a White Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) near Bicester. — A white starling 

 was shot early in June, and another seen in the neighbourhood of Bicester, Oxon. — 

 Thomas Prater ; Bicester, August 17, 1848. 



Remarkable Variety of Colour in the Egg of the Green Woodpecker. — I send you 

 the drawing of a green woodpecker's egg, which was taken here last spring. The 

 nest, which consisted as usual of a hole made in a tree, had four other eggs in it, all 

 more or less like the one from which the drawing was taken ; the hen bird was in the 

 hole when it was cut open, so that there can be no mistake as to the species to which 

 they belong, since, as you will see, that, except in size, shape and the high polish 

 (which last, however, cannot be shown in a sketch), they do not at all resemble 

 the eggs commonly laid by that bird, being blotched and spotted with reddish brown 

 and tawny yellow, so as to be something like those of the common quail, or that of 

 the Baillon's crake, as figured in Hewitson's Illustrations. The drawing was taken 

 from the most strongly-marked specimen of the five : it is entirely at your disposal, 

 and if you wish it, I shall be happy to send you one of the eggs themselves. — Alfred 

 Newton ; Elvedon, Thetford, July 26, 1848. 



[Probably this paper was not intended for publication, but the information is too in- 

 teresting to be suppressed : I shall be happy to forward to any of my readers the 

 drawing of the egg for inspection. — Edward Newman]. 



Occurrence of the White Stork (Ciconia alba) near York. — On Friday, the 18th 

 inst, a fine adult male Ciconia alba was shot in the neighbourhood of York. It was 

 in good condition, the stomach filled with remains of Ditisci and other Coleoptera. 

 I saw the bird a few hours after it had been shot. — Edmund T. Higgins ; 25, Spur- 

 rier Gate, York, July, 1848. 



[Is not this the bird already noticed, Zool. 2191 ? — E. N.] 



Occurrence of the White Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia) at Aldborough. — A spoon- 

 bill, apparently adult, was seen at Aldborough, in July last, by Mr. W. H. Haward, 

 who pursued it for some time, but without being able to get a shot at it. It was 

 feeding in company with herons, and seemed by no means shy, taking wing only for 



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