3330 Birds. 



White Variety of the Cheat Titmouse (Parus major). — A pure cream-coloured tit- 

 mouse was killed at Wilmington on the 24th ultimo. — Id. 



Occurrence of the Bearded Titmouse (Calamophilus biarmicus) at Lewes. — A pair of 

 bearded tits were killed last week among the Southover reed-beds, near this town.— Id. 



Sepia- coloured Rook.— I suppose the last season was favourable to the development 

 of abnormally coloured rooks, as I have the skin of a young bird, brought to me last 

 summer, somewhat similar to that described by Mr. Newton in your last number (Zool. 

 3278). It is a perfectly grown and feathered young bird of the year, but instead of 

 being black, it is of a uniform light sepia, the legs rather darker, and the beak some- 

 what lighter. It was shot about ten miles from Bury St. Edmund's, and therefore not 

 likely to have any relationship with Mr. Newton's bird. — C. R. Bree ; StoivmarTcet. 



Occurrence of the Alpine Sivift (Cypselus alpinus) at St. Leonard's, Sussex. — A 

 specimen of this bird was seen sitting on a rail at the above place early last month, 

 and was knocked down by a boy. It is now in the possession of Mr. Johnson, Che- 

 mist, St. Leonard's. — J. B. Ellman ; Lewes, November 18, 1851. 



Occurrence of the Black Grous (Tetrao tetrix) in Sussex. — I have much pleasure 

 in recording the till now doubted fact, that the black grous is not yet extinct iu this 

 county. On the 30lh ultimo a gray hen was wired about five miles from my residence 

 by one of the " slippery gentlemen rovers of the night." The cock bird was seen by him, 

 and its haunts discovered, but hitherto it has eluded his stratagems to become its pos- 

 sessor. I am not at liberty to name the place in your journal where the hen was cap- 

 tured, or the captor might get into trouble, otherwise I should have done so. — Id. 



Occurrence of the Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea) at Catsfield, Sussex. — An imma- 

 ture specimen of this bird was shot at the above place last month, and is now in the 

 possession of a gentleman at Hastings. — Id. 



Occurrence of the Spotted Redshank (Totanus fuscus) at Selborne. — A beautiful 

 specimen of this bird was brought to me August 30, 1851. It was in an interesting 

 state of plumage, with the breast and whole under part sprinkled with a mixture of 

 gray and white, the back spotted with white. It was shot at Oakhanger, in this pa- 

 rish. I have the specimen stuffed. — Thomas Bell ; Selborne, Hants, November 24, 

 1851. 



Occurrence of the Great Snipe (Scolopax major) at Botley. — A fine specimen of the 

 above bird was shot at the end of September, in the gravel-pits at Botley, near here, 

 and has since been placed in the Ashmolean Museum. Its weight was eight ounces. 

 I am informed that a specimen was shot about ten years since, very near the same 

 spot. — A. M. Norman ; Christ Church, Oxford. 



Inquiry respecting a Species of Sandpiper. — On the 31st of October I received from 

 R. Barnard, Esq., for preservation, a species of sandpiper in the flesh, which had been 

 shot near Warwick. The species is quite new to me, and as it differs materially, both 

 in size and markings, from Yarrell's description of the buff breasted sandpiper, I for- 

 ward a description of the bird. The beak is slender, and very slightly curved at the 

 tip, \\ inch long; upper mandible deep brown, the lower one light brown, dark at the 

 point: the feathers on the top of the head are brown, edged with buff, but the buff 

 edges only show towards the sides of the head, where they become broader in propor- 

 tion to the brown part : the back of the neck is brownish buff, minutely spotted with 

 dark brown : back and wing-coverts dark olive-brown, each feather edged with buff; 

 primaries brownish lead-colour, the broad web towards the quill white, banded and 

 marked with blackish brown, the shall of the first primary only white, the rest black, 



