2298 Birds. 



around the third nest, it is inferred that it must have been some winged creature that 

 disturbed the female on her eggs, and destroyed some of them. Was this the male ? 



Tne song of the blackbird is duly acknowledged to be grateful in a garden, in 

 spring and during the earlier months of summer ; but the usefulness of the bird there, 

 in the destruction of grubs, &c, perhaps has not been sufficiently appreciated. Still 

 this agreeable and useful denizen of the parterre plays such havoc in the fruit season, 

 that many are disposed to extirpate rather than protect the species. Of every descrip- 

 tion of fruit, from the earliest strawberry to the latest apple, they take their share, and 

 of course from the ripest. — George Gordon ; Elgin, October, 1848. 



Early Arrival of Fieldfares (Turdus pilaris) and Snipes (Scolopax gallinago) near 

 Battel. — For the past fortnight fieldfares and snipes have been unusually abundant in 

 this district. In Pevensey Level upwards of fifty snipes were seen in one day by a 

 friend of mine, who shot several. There was a strong north-east wind for a few days 

 previous to their arrival. We have several breeding-places for snipes here ; but I 

 think the number seen precludes the possibility of these having resorted to the Levels, 

 which they do in severe weather. — J. B. Ellman ; Battel, September 23, 1 848. 



Early Appearance of the Fieldfare. — On the 12th of September, while taking a 

 walk, when about a mile and a half from the town, I observed a flock of seven indi- 

 viduals. I am certain of their identity, as they passed over-head at no great elevation, 

 so that I could clearly distinguish them. — James C. Garth ; Knaresborough, October 

 17, 1848. 



Singular Variety of the Robin (Sylvia rubecula). — On the 5th of the present month, 

 about four miles from here, on the road towards Borobridge, I shot a curious specimen 

 of the redbreast. It has the whole of the primaries and secondary feathers of the 

 wings white ; the whole of the tail feathers are also of the same colour, with the ex- 

 ception of the tips, which are a dirty gray or smoke colour. It had a curious appear- 

 ance flying about, just before I shot it. I was a little disappointed, on picking it up, 

 to find that it was a young bird of the present year, and therefore not in very good 

 feather. — Id. 



Note on Wheatears (Sylvia (Enanthe). — March 27th, 1848. Saw wheatears to-day 

 on Durdham Down, all male birds. I believe this to be precisely, or within a very 

 few days of, the period when I have been accustomed to see them first on the Sussex 

 coast, Rottingdean, near Brighton, though I perceive that the only note 1 have made 

 of their arrival in that district in March is a. d. 1846, when one cock wheatear was 

 observed on the 24th of that month. No wheatears were visible on Durdham Down a 

 few days previous to March 27th. About that date the weather was calm, the wind 

 generally from the north, or nearly so, though occasionally appearing to shift to other 

 quarters for a short time. It is rather curious that the migrations of the bird to two 

 such distant places should so nearly coincide. — Arthur Hussey ; Clifton, Gloucestershire. 



Beautiful and extraordinary Variety of the Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs). — I am in- 

 debted to Mr. Thomas Hall, naturalist, of No. 7, City Road, for the sight of a bird 

 which displays the most remarkable deviation from normal colouring that I ever recol- 

 lect to have witnessed. Mr. Yarrell, who has kindly examined the specimen, pro- 

 nounces it a chaffinch : he says, " Character, measurements, and the markings on three 

 primary feathers in each wing, seem to prove that the bird sent is a variety of the 

 chaffinch." The following is a general description of the colour: head white, with a 

 slight tinge of cream colour; back and rump golden yellow, as in a brilliant male 

 canary ; throat, breast, belly and vent white, the breast with a few fawn-coloured 



