Birds. 3207 



In conclusion, I beg to solicit communications and suggestions 

 from any lady or gentleman who is disposed to regard my proposi- 

 tion favourably. 



Edward Newman. 



9, Devonshire Street, Bishopsgate, 

 July 13, 1851. 



Occurrence of the Osprey in Norfolk. — During last week an excellent specimen of 

 the male osprey was shot on the estate of S. M. Peto, Esq., M.P., of Somerlyton. — J. 

 O. Harper; Norwich, June 16, 1851. 



Note on the Nesting of the Passerine Owl in confinement. — A pair of passerine owls 

 which I had in confinement, nested this spring in a small covered hox which was pla- 

 ced in a corner of their cage. They laid four eggs, about the middle of the month of 

 May, two of which they soon broke, but hatched the other two early in June. The 

 two young ones did not long survive ; how they disappeared I am unable to say, and 

 am almost disposed to think the old birds must have devoured them. I regret that 

 owing to the nest having been placed in a covered box, I was unable correctly to as- 

 certain the period of incubation. — J. H. Gurney ; Easton, Norfolk, July 7, 1851. 



The Red-backed Shrike, (Lanius Collurio). — I shot a pair of these birds on the 9th, 

 at Smitham Bottom, near Croydon, Surrey. The male I shot on the wing, the female 

 I found an hour afterwards perched on the top of a thorn-bush, although I was within 

 fifteen yards before I saw her, and stood to observe her some time, she never moved. 

 I found the nest close by, a clumsy construction nine inches in diameter, composed of 

 moss, wool, and dried grass ; in it was one egg, fresh laid. A former brood had not 

 long left the nest, and not the slightest repair or cleansing had been made. — Richard 

 Strangwayes ; 70 and 71, Chiswell Street, July 15, 1851. 



Nesting of the Wren (Troglodytes vulgaris). — On reading a paragraph in your June 

 number under the above heading (Zool. 3146), there came to my recollection a wren's 

 nest, which I saw three or four years back, in a most singular situation. It was built 

 in one of the " hatches '' of the river at Winchester. I fear I shall be unable to de- 

 scribe its exact position, so as to make myself intelligible, but will endeavour to do so. 

 The nest was built in the angle formed by the beam by which the " hatchway '' is put 

 up or down, and the "hatch" itself; so that the nest was raised and lowered together 

 with the hatch, at one time therefore being close to the surface of the water, at ano- 

 ther some feet above it. One would have thought this would have been the last place 

 in the world the little fellow would have chosen. I one day saw the hatch lowered 

 while the wren was in her nest ; she flew out, perched herself on a neighbouring bush, 

 and there sat uttering her shrill notes until the hatch was down and all quiet, when 

 she returned to her nest. Whether any eggs had been laid or not I do not know, but 

 if there had been, I should fancy the lifting up and down of the hatch must have bro- 

 ken them. One day, on visiting the spot, I was grieved to find nothing remaining 

 but a few remnants of the hay of which the nest was formed. In the paragraph above 

 referred to, an instance is given of a wren which took possession of the nest of a mar- 

 tin ; a similar circumstance is described as occurring in North America, by Captain 

 Brown, in a note to his edition of White's ' Natural History of Selborne,' at page 128, 



