Birds. 3909 



fine specimen being sent to me at Poole, which had been shot at Waveham. — Thomas- 

 Bell ; Selborne, May 6, 1853. 



Occurrence of the Hoopoe (Upupa Epops) in May, in the Isle of Portland. — I beg 

 to record the occurrence of the hoopoe, not on account of its rarity of late years in this 

 county, as specimens are obtained every year. The subject of this notice was shot 

 yesterday, the 6th of May, in the Isle of Portland: all the other specimens that have 

 come to my knowledge have been obtained in the months of April or September. — 

 William Thompson ; Weymouth, May 7, 1853. 



Note on the early appearance of the Quail, (Coturnix vulgaris). — A female quail, 

 having been noticed for several days near some stacks, was shot at Threxton, near 

 Watton, on the 1st of March, the snow being then quite deep. — L. H. Irby ; Saham, 

 Norfolk, April 16, 1853. 



Occurrence of the Stone Curlew (CEdienemus crepitans) near Thetford. — A pair of 

 stone curlews were also shot near Thetford, when the snow was quite deep. — Id. 



Note on the abundance of Woodcocks. — I have to observe that no less than twelve 

 of these pretty visitors have been obtained here since October last. For the last four 

 or five years not more than one or two at the most have been killed annually. This 

 locality is bordering on the high moors. — J. Johnson ; Denby, near Huddersfield, 

 March 8, 1853. 



Note on Woodcocks' Nests in the Forest of Bere, and in Highden Wood, Hants. — 

 On the 28th of March, I was out walking in the Forest of Bere, with Sir Jervoise 

 Clarke-J ervoise, Bart., of Tdsworth Park, Hants. We had the rabbit-beagles with 

 us, and they flushed as many as twelve or fifteen woodcocks during the time we were 

 out. The woodcocks frequently rose two at a time, which, together with their heavy 

 owl-like flight, showed that the breeding-season had commenced. One couple in par- 

 ticular got up with a good deal of fuss, and evidently had a nest or young close by ; 

 for they flew a very short distance in a semicircle, and one of them performed in the 

 air evolutions similar to those of a peewit when its nest is approached : it also gave a 

 peculiar cry, which I think worth mentioning, as it is the first time I ever heard (and 

 I never heard of) a woodcock uttering any sound. We continued our walk with our 

 " eyes open," and at length Sir J. Clarke-Jervoise had the good fortune to flush one 

 close to him ; and on examining the place whence it rose he found the nest, contain- 

 ing four eggs. He most kindly allowed me to take one of the eggs for my collection. 

 On blowing it, it appeared to have been sat upon for four or five days; in which case, 

 the nest must have been formed and the eggs laid when the ground was covered with 

 snow, and even when we found it, the ice had not entirely disappeared. The bird de- 

 serted her nest, and so, of course, the remaining eggs were taken, and, through the 

 kindness of Sir J. Clarke-Jervoise, another has been added to my collection. This is 

 the first instance of the woodcock's nest being discovered here, but the young birds 

 have occasionally, for years past, been found by the keepers ; and there is no doubt 

 whatever that they breed here regularly. The keeper, on whose beat the nest was 

 found, told me that he could now, sometimes of an evening, get at least twenty good 

 shots at them as they are " flighting about : " the other keepers also speak of the num- 

 bers they see when out on their rounds about dusk. It is gratifying to know that every 

 possible protection is given to these interesting birds, and that Sir J. Clarke-Jervoise 

 makes it a rule never to kill a cock after the last day of January, thereby giving the 

 survivors of the previous campaign every encouragement to try a domestic life in Eng- 

 land, and time to prepare for a matrimonial choice on Valentine's day. Many of the 



