Birds. 1875 



warbler are next in size, and are spotted with rusty red. The markings of the egg of 

 the chiifchaff sufficiently characterize it; they are of a vinous purple, and are sparingly 

 disposed in large blotches, chiefly confined to the broad end of the egg. — Peter Inch- 

 bald ; Storthe's Hall, Huddersfield, June 8, 1847. 



Miscoloured Thrush's Eggs. — In 1845 I found a thrush's nest, in which were two 

 eggs of the usual colour, and two white with dark red spots. The nest was unfortu- 

 nately destroyed before the eggs were hatched. — E. Peacock. 



Habits of the Water-Ouzel. — " At other times the water-ouzel walks deliberately 

 off his stone down into the water, and, despite of Mr. Waterton's strong opinion of 

 the impossibility of the feat, he walks and runs about on the gravel at the bottom of 

 the water, scratching with his feet among the small stones, and pecking away at the 

 small insects and animalcula which he can dislodge. On two or three occasions I 

 have witnessed this act of the water-ouzel, and have most distinctly seen the bird 

 walking and feeding in this manner under the pellucid waters of a Highland burn. 

 It is in this way that the water-ouzel is supposed to commit great havoc in the 

 spawning-beds of salmon and trout, uncovering the ova, and leaving what it does not 

 eat open to the attack of eels and other fish, or liable to be washed away by the cur- 

 rent ; and, notwithstanding my regard for this little bird, I am afraid I must admit 

 that he is guilty of no small destruction among the spawn." — ' Wild Sports in the 

 Highlands,' p. 198. 



Nesting of the Tree Sparrow in Oxfordshire. — I beg to forward a notice of the 

 nesting of the tree sparrow in Oxfordshire. The nest was found by myself upon May 

 22nd, and was built at the end of a small hole in the top of a pollard willow. It con- 

 tained five eggs. The nest was domed over, composed of the flowering tops of a kind 

 of reed, and thickly lined with feathers. A few days previously I procured some eggs, 

 taken out of the thatch of a building, which I doubt not belong to the same species. 

 The bird is a winter visitant to this part of the country during severe weather. Great 

 numbers were observed during the past winter, but none in that of 1845-6. — H. 

 Roundell; Tringford, Mag 25, 1847. 



Occurrence of the Cirl Bunting at Selborne. — On Saturday evening last, as I was 

 walking round my grounds here, I was struck by the manners of a pair of birds, which 

 were evidently endeavouring to attract the notice of my dog, and to draw him away 

 from their young. On approachiug them, I found to my delight that they were a pair 

 of cirl buntings (Emberiza Cirlus), and that they had a brood of full-fledged young, 

 which were apparently feeding in some cut vetches lying in the neighbouring field. 

 It is evident that they have had their nest close at hand, as I have since never failed 

 to find them on the trees near the fence, at the same spot, whenever I have visited the 

 place. I have this morning seen five or six, including the parent birds ; and the lat- 

 ter are so tame that they will sit on the rail, within three or four yards of us, for a 

 considerable time, affording eveiy opportunity of observing their beautiful plumage. 

 The young are more shy, but the beautiful and gay cock bird is exceedingly tame. 

 As I do not allow a gun to be ever fired in my little park, I cannot but hope that these 

 interesting birds may become permanent denizens of the place. I thought you would 

 be pleased to have a notice of this addition to the Selborne Fauna. In good old Gil- 

 bert White's time the bird was not known to be British, having been discovered by 

 Montagu in 1800.— Thomas Bell ; Selborne, July 12, 1847. 



Tyneside Naturalists' Field Club ; Occurrence of Sylvia Turdoides near Newcastle. 

 — At one time Prestwick Car was not preserved, and water-birds were driven away, 



