Birds. 3277 



Downs between Lewes, Brighton and Ditchling, in the hope of seeing them, and find- 

 ing their nest and young, but all was in vain, until the 15th of July, when Sir Henry 

 Shiffner's head gamekeeper brought me two young birds, with the clown still on them. 

 He had shot them on the tops of the furze. They uttered no note. My efforts were 

 still unsuccessful until the 8th of September, when I shot a female, an old bird in au- 

 tumnal plumage ; since that day I have seen several, all near the same locality, and 

 the first time I heard their note again was on the 27th ult. I can now hear them (but 

 never more than two in one place) on any sunny day, uttering their double angry note, 

 and skipping about from furze to whitethorn, but never remaining more than ten se- 

 conds in sight in the same place. Eusticus says they are very difficult to obtain, but 

 this applies in this district only to lame, fat, and gouty old gentlemen, as, if a person 

 is active, he can easily run them down, which I have done on three different occasions. 

 I never saw one fly more than 50 yards without resting : their little, short, round wings 

 are not formed for long flights. The position of the bird is not good either in Yarrell 

 or Eusticus, as I have always observed them with the head turned half round when 

 they are uttering their note, and both these engravings are intended to represent the 

 bird when " singing," if I may so call it. The sexes are easily distinguished on the 

 wing, the male is so much darker-breasted, particularly in spriug. In autumn, the 

 throat, in both old and young birds, is mottled with white, and the chestnut-red extends 

 further down the breast in the male than in the female. In February they are in the 

 best plumage, the throat and breast of the male being then bright chestnut-red, free 

 from all white speckles, and the back slightly tinged with lead-colour. The back of 

 the female is more brown, and the sexes are at this time better distinguished. Though 

 Yarrell mentions so many localities for this bird, I suspect it is very local, as I have 

 never found it change its place, although quite as promising cover was near at hand. 

 They are very fond of whitethorns, and I have invariably seen them enter at the bot- 

 tom and come out at the top. I have seen them catch flies on the wing, and hover 

 over the furze like a whitethroat. — J. B . Ellman ; Lewes, October 8, 1851. 



Occurrence of the American Wax-wing or Cedar Bird (Bombycilla Carolinensis), in 

 Great Britain. — I am told that Mr. Batson, of Horseheath, near Linton, Cambridge- 

 shire, has in his possession a specimen of the cedar -bird of North America, which was 

 killed in this country. The particulars of the time and place of capture of this bird, 

 I will endeavour to obtain as soon as possible, and I should be much obliged to any 

 one who will send me any further information on the subject, as I believe this is the 

 first recorded instance of the occurrence of this species, not only in Great Britain, but 

 in Europe. — Alfred Newton; September 4, 1851. 



Occurrence of the Ortolan Bunting (Emberiza hortulana) at Scilly. — A bird of this 

 species, apparently having assumed its autumnal plumage, was killed upon Trescoe 

 Island a day or two since. The resemblance of this bird to the female of the cirl and 

 yellow buntings is very great, and it would pass as such if the peculiar colour of the 

 orbits, beak, and belly, which is mottled with chestnut and yellowish white, did not 

 point out the difference. — Edward Hearle Rodd; Penzance, October 10, 1851. 



Occurrence of the Rose-coloured Pastor (Pastor roseus) at Redcar. — A fine speci- 

 men of the rose-coloured pastor was shot yesterday in Coatham Marsh, near this place. 

 — T. S. Rudd ; Redcar, August 29, 1851. 



Occurrence of the Mocking Bird of America (Turdus polyglottus) in the County of 

 Kent. — About the 19th of August,. a fine specimen of this bird was killed on a farm 

 near Ashford. — W. II. Cordeaux ; Canterbury, September 15, 1851. 



