1820 Birds. 



to put a stop to this process of investigation of the one bird into the misfortune of the 

 other? I came in just as these exhibitions had occurred, and taking up the bird with 

 its twisted wing, I was obliged, after setting the limb, to restrain him from any fur- 

 ther gratification of his mate's curiosity, by tying the wing into place, and keeping it 

 so tied till the bone united. The one now attended the other, and carefully examined 

 day after day the broken limb. Calling on him to make an occasional effort to raise 

 the disabled and immoveable member, she used her ineffectual endeavours to persuade 

 him to lift it, though tied, by lifting her own from time to time. 



" Though this fellow-feeling was so strongly and so remarkably manifested with 

 regard to the broken wing, — when feeding together, the abler female did not hesitate 

 to take advantage of her greater agility, by snatching away from her mate his share of 

 victuals, and grappling with him for one and the same piece of meat. Instinct seems 

 to exhibit simple, not complex emotions. If the male bird had been utterly unable 

 to feed himself, the female would possibly herself have supplied him with food: — but 

 able to eat, the undivided passion was the feeding appetite ; and the instinctive habit 

 of striking at the prey, and grabbing it, was not capable of restraint, or of any modifi- 

 cation whatever." — p. 418. 



Notice of Ornithological and other Occurrences, in Norfolk, for the Month of 



June, 1847. 



An example of the whiskered tern, a bird not previously recorded to have been ob- 

 tained in Norfolk, was shot on the 17th instant, whilst flying high over Hickling 

 Broad. It proved to be an adult female, and contained ova in an advanced stage ; 

 the largest being apparently almost ready to receive the shell. In the stomach were 

 found the remains of about twenty of the larvae of the broad-bodied dragon-fly. 



The very unusually late occurrence of the common pochard, a male specimen of 

 which was obtained during the first week of this month, has been kindly communicated 

 to us by Mr. Bird, ofVerulam Buildings, Gray's Inn, in whose possession the bird 

 remains. 



The following instances of the carnivorous propensities of the jackdaw have lately 

 come under our observation. One of these birds was shot by a gamekeeper from the 

 nest of a missel thrush, whilst in the act of devouring one of the young birds : another 

 was observed in pursuit of a young pheasant ; the latter soon squatted, when the 

 jackdaw hopped upon, and immediately began to peck it, but was shot before he had 

 done any further mischief. 



A pair of kestrels have chosen in the hollow of the trunk of an old pollard oak, an 

 unusual locality for their nests. It contained six young kestrels, and there were also 

 found in it the remains of moles, mice, small birds, and a young partridge. 



A Muscovy drake was a few days ago detected in the act of stealing and swallow- 

 ing the fish which had been placed in a tub for a tame heron ; and was found to have 

 previously indulged in this rather curious habit. 



We are indebted to a correspondent in the vicinity of Cromer for the following 

 anecdotes. A squirrel, having been observed to be eating something of a whitish co- 

 lour, the remains of his repast were examined, when it appeared that he had scooped 

 out and devoured the inner part of a mushroom-shaped fungus ; a production which 

 we did not before know to have been made use of by this animal for food. 



