3054 Birds. 



Occurrence of the Roughlegged Buzzard (Buteo lagopus) on Marlboro' Downs. — 

 A very fine specimen of the roughlegged buzzard was killed, June 10th, last, on the 

 Marlboro' Downs, at a small village called Ofbourne. The bird is now in the posses- 

 sion of Mr. Withers, of Devizes. — Thomas Kemur; Avebury, Marlboro, Wilts, 

 February 3, 1851. 



The Chiffchaff in January.— I have just received a communication from Mr. 

 Burt, of the Torquay Museum, informing me that he has been recently preserving a 

 specimen of the chiffchaff, which was shot January 10th, near that place. The early 

 appearance of this bird is, T suppose, fully to be accounted for by the unseasonable 

 weather we are experiencing. — Alfred Newton ; 19, Lowndes Square, January 25, 185 1 . 



Note upon the Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla). — It seems to be an undecided ques- 

 tion amongst naturalists, whether this pretty little warbler does or does not remain 

 with us during the winter months. There is considerable reasonableness appa- 

 rently to be said on either side, pro and con ; at the same time I do think, when 

 one reflects upon the nature of the bird under discussion, its usual food, &c, that to 

 any observant and clear-sighted judge, the evidence must appear stronger in favour of 

 the latter than the former, i.e., rather against its wintering here, either as a regular, 

 ascertained fact, or as a very common occurrence. As a motive for my thinking thus, 

 I would state an experience which caused me to come to this conclusion in respect to 

 Sylvia atricapilla's residing in our leafless bowers during the coldest portion of the 

 year. Living in a retired and beautiful village not far from Dover, some three or 

 four winters since, a blackcap was brought me by some boys, in the month of Decem- 

 ber (if my memory serves me), which had been what they termed " run down " (a 

 cruel and barbarous amusement much practised by lads in this part of England, and 

 not, I fear, an obsolete custom in other counties). Snow was on the ground ; the 

 weather quite in accordance with the season ; and most of the feathered tribe, tamed 

 by lack of food and coldness of the atmosphere, sought rather the haunts of men, than 

 the wide, open woodland of nature ; their delight in the joyous days of June. Our 

 little friend wrested from the grasp of unfeeling creatures, as well as natural priva- 

 tions, gradually recovered, and seemed to regain its wonted sprightliness. For more 

 than a month I kept it confined in a cage, feeding it as well as I was able, on the few 

 insects, &c, which were to be found ; but in that respect I cau safely say it had suf- 

 ficient to support its existence. Towards the end of January, the following year, the 

 coldness of the weather increased, and in consequence I firmly believe my pretty 

 prisoner met an untimely end, and fell a sacrifice to a season it was never adapted to 

 contend against ; for one frosty morning, on paying my customary visit, I found the 

 little fellow stretched at the bottom of his cage, lifeless and frozen to death. If such 

 be the fate of one in a comfortable room, what must be the fate of others in the open 

 air, exposed to the blasting winds of winter ? — W. H. Cordeaux ; Canterbury, January, 

 1851. 



Occurrence of Richardson's Skua (Lestris Richardsonii) at Brighton. — I killed, 

 yesterday, about two miles from here, Richardson's skua, in beautiful plumage: it is 

 a scarce bird here. — T. Thorncroft ; 33, North Lane, Brighton, January 24, 1851. 



Sea Birds at Weymouth. — Amongst the birds lately shot here, and now in the 

 possession of Mr. Richard Rolls, naturalist and preserver, are the following : — 



Northern Diver, in the plumage of the second year ; shot in Weymouth Bay, De- 

 cember 9, I860. One was caught alive on the beach, on the 8th; this was in the 

 plumage of the fust year. In the one in Mr. Rolls' possession, the black ring had 



