3234 Birds. 



the same spot by Farnham Lyte, Esq., of Berry-head, Brixhara. The latter bird I 

 saw a fortnight ago, looking as fresh and bright as ever, of a deep salmon-colour and 

 purple, with a magnificent crest. I do not know if this bird was recorded in your 

 ' Zoologist' or not. The female I found to be full of eggs. It might not perhaps be 

 out of place to inform you that I have most seasons one, two, or three specimens of 

 the black redstart brought to me ; these birds are found round the coast from Berry- 

 head to Teignmouth. I have had them from the former place, from Goodington Sands, 

 Babbicombe, Watcombe, and Teignmouth : and in your February number you will 

 find a pair mentioned as having been shot at Teignmouth, [? Lewes]. Within the 

 last twelve months I have had the common buzzard (common here), the hobby, the 

 female hen harrier, the great spotted woodpecker, the gray phalarope, the ringed or 

 bridled guillemot, the red-throated diver, the young of the black diver, and the young 

 of the Iceland gull. — E. Burt ; the Museum, Torquay, August 12, 1851. 



Occurrence of the Crane at Pevensey, Sussex. — I have recently obtained a male spe- 

 cimen of this scarce bird, which was shot at the above place in May, 1849.— J. B. 

 Ellman; Lewes, August 9, 1851. 



Remarks on the Sivan. — In your August number (Zool. 3208) is an article about 

 the common swan, and stating tho number of cygnets which it produces to be " five, 

 and more generally from two to four.'' I have at this time a brood of eight young 

 ones, which are now nearly as large as the old birds, and which I shall soon shut up, 

 and fatten for the autumn. The whole brood were frequently seen on the old mother's 

 back, until they became too heavy for her to carry, and they had gained strength to 

 swim about without fatigue. Eight is by no means unusual for this stream (the Wan- 

 die), and that number has frequently been bred on this property. In Beddington 

 Park, last year, there was a brood of twelve, all of which, I believe, came to maturity. 

 — Samuel Gurney,jun. ; Carshalton, August 4, 1851. 



Remarks on the Egyptian Goose. — In your July number (Zool. 3175) I observe 

 some remarks on two Egyptian geese being shot in a wild state near Yarmouth, and 

 another on Derwent Lake. Is it not more probable that they were birds which had 

 bred in a state of domestication, and not having been pinioned, had flown away? My 

 reasons for suspecting this to be the case are, that when at Alnwick Castle in the spring, 

 I saw a pair of Egyptian geese, which I was told had flown away, and after being ab- 

 sent, I believe for two years, they had returned with a brood of young ones. Again ; 

 I have a pair of them, which I have had for four or five years, and which have bred 

 every year. I only succeeded in bringing up one the first season, which was not pin- 

 ioned , and which took flight regularly every morning, not returning for two or three 

 hours, and it was eventually shot. This year I have hatched eleven young ones, by 

 taking the first and second layings and putting them under a hen, when the female 

 laid again, and hatched seven young ones from as many eggs. The old ones are of a 

 most ferocious disposition, from the time of their nesting until the young ones are ta- 

 ken away ; so much so that my man declares he saw the male attack one of the old 

 swans, which he held by the neck, and would have killed if he had not separated them. 

 They are perfectly hardy, and require no particular care in rearing them. They are 

 not pleasant near a house, as their noise is very loud and continuous in the night, so 

 much so that my neighbours have had to complain to me more than once, and I now 

 keep them in a pond surrounded with wire netting. — Id. 



Occurrence of the Greater Shearwater (Puflinus cinereus) at Lynn. — An example 

 of this rare bird \v;is caught on the 25th of July last by some of our fishermen, who 



