3946 Birds. 



actuated the partridge in this strange choice; as the nest is placed on the N.E. side of 

 the stack, and on the shelving side near the top. I believe Col. Hawker gives an in- 

 stance of a partridge's nest in a pollard tree; and Mr. Yarrell, in his " British Birds,' 

 quotes another instance from Daniel's * Rural Sports,' of a partridge's nest on the top 

 of au oak pollard : but with these exceptions I have never heard of the partridge vary- 

 ing so much from the usual habits of its species in its choice of a place for uidification. 

 — Alfred Charles Smith ; Yatesbury Rectory, Calne, June 1 1, 1853. 



Young Ducks nursed by a Cat. — The following remarkable circumstance has just 

 been detailed to me by an eye-witness. A duck, having hatched out a brood of young 

 ones, was, with all her progeny, placed by her careful owner in a basket lined with 

 flannel, by the kitchen fire. Now it chanced that a cat was in the habit of sleeping 

 away much of her days, as cats are wont to do, by the same fire ; the new arrival 

 seemed to interest her mightily, and so great an attachment did she conceive for them, 

 that nothing would suffice but the ejection of their natural parent, and the substitution 

 of herself as their mother. To this end she was seen to go quietly to the basket, and 

 after gently expelling the old duck, a work of little labour, to place herself with great 

 care and gentleness on the young ones, warming them with her body, quietly replacing 

 them with her paw when they attempted to clamber up the sides of the basket, and 

 otherwise playing the part of a kind foster mother. This continued during a period 

 of three weeks at least, during which time my informant occasionally saw them ; but 

 I regret that he could not give me the sequel of their history, whether the cat conti- 

 nued faithfully to discharge her self-imposed office, and whether the young ducks 

 throve under her care ; or whether, as some malicious persons might suggest, like lit- 

 tle Red Riding-hood, and the supernumerary victims of the man-eating ogres in the 

 fairy tales, and the companions of Ulysses in the cave of Polyphemus, they were but 

 nursed for slaughter when they became more worthy of the appetite of their friend.— Id. 



Note on the occurrence of the Knot Sandpiper (Tringa cinerea) on the Norfolk 

 Coast, in the Summer Plumage. — Specimens of the knot, in its nuptial dress, frequently 

 occur on the Norfolk coast in spring, during the northward migration of this species; 

 but during the past month they were, for a few days, unusually numerous, particularly 

 about the 13th of May, on which day a single gunner at Yarmouth procured seventy- 

 three knots, all in full, or nearly full, summer dress, besides several others which were 

 obtained by other individuals. — /. H. Gurney, Easton, Norfolk, June 1, 1853. 



Occurrence of the Caspian Tern (Sterna Caspia) in Lincolnshire. — A very fine spe- 

 cimen of the Caspian tern, in summer plumage, was shot on the 17th of May, at Cay- 

 thorpe, Lincolnshire, many miles from the sea. It was in good condition, and threw 

 up three or four fish upon being shot. It was brought to Newark to be stuffed, when 

 I had the pleasure of seeing it in the flesh. — W. F. Foottit ; Newark, Notts, June 4, 

 1853. 



Occurrence of the Sandwich Tern (Sterna Boysii) §-c. near Oxford. — Three fine 

 adult specimens of the Sandwich tern (Sterna Boysii) were shot on the Isis near Ox- 

 ford, on the 23rd of April last. This is the first occurrence of this bird so far inland 

 with which I am acquainted. About the same time, two specimens of the lesser tern 

 (S. minuta) and a razor-bill (Alca Torda) were killed near Oxford. — T. L. Powys ; 

 10, Grosvenor Place, June 13, 1853. 



