3982 Birds. 



the string and peg hanging to it; the weight of the latter probably was the cause of 

 the shrike not carrying its prey quite away, as it dropped it after flying about fifteen 

 yards, when the bird-catcher again picked up the dead linnet and replaced it in the 

 net. The shrike in the mean time retreated to some neighbouring bushes, from which 

 it soon made a third pounce upon the nets, this time attacking the second call-bird, 

 which was a sparrow. On this occasion, however, the bird-catcher was on the watch, 

 and drawing his nets, captured the shrike, which proved to be an adult female of 

 Lanius Collurio. — J. H. Gurney ; Easton, Norfolk, June 28, 1853. 



" CouloVnt ! Cos he Sung so ! — Leaning idly over a fence, a few days since, we 

 noticed a little four-year-old ' lord of the creation' amusing himself in the grass by 

 watching the frolicsome flight of birds which were playing around him. At length a 

 beautiful Bob-o-link perched himself upon a drooping bough of an apple-tree, which 

 extended to within a few yards of the place where the urchin sat, and maintained his 

 position, apparently unconscious of the close proximity to one whom birds usually 

 consider a dangerous neighbour. The boy seemed astonished at his impudence, and 

 after regarding him steadily for a minute or two, obeying the instinct of his baser part, 

 he picked up a stone lying at his feet, and was preparing to throw it, steadying him- 

 self carefully for a good aim. The little arm was reached backward without alarming 

 the bird, and Bob was within an ace of damage ; when lo ! his throat swelled, and forth 

 came Nature's plea : — 'A link — a link — a 1-i-n-k, Bob-o-link, Bob-o-link ! a-no-weet, 

 a-no-weet! I know it — I know it! a-link — a-link — a-link! don't throw it!— throw it, 

 throw it, throw it,' &c. ; and he didn't. Slowly the little arm subsided to its natural 

 position, and the despised stone dropped. The minstrel charmed the murderer! We 

 heard the songster through, and watched his unharmed flight, as did the boy, with a 

 sorrowful countenance. Anxious to hear an expression of the little fellow's feeling, 

 we approached him, and inquired, ' Why didn't you stone him, my boy? — you might 

 have killed him and carried him home.' The poor little fellow looked up doubtingly, 

 as though he suspected our meaning, and with an expression, half shame and half 

 sorrow, he replied, — ' CouloVnt ! cos he sung so ! ' Who will say that our nature is 

 wholly depraved after that, or aver that music hath no charms to soothe the savage 

 breast ? Melody awakened humanity, and humanity — mercy ! The angels who sang 

 at the creation whispered to the child's heart. The bird was saved, and God was glo- 

 rified by the deed. Dear little boys ! don't stone the birds." — Clinton (U.S.) Courant. 



[From an American newspaper. Communicated by Mr. Yarrell, who adds that 

 " the Bob-o-link of the Americans is the Rice-bunting (Emberiza oryzivora) of Wilson 

 and Audubon."— .E. JV7] 



Occurrence of the Mountain Finch (Fringilla montifringilla) near Dorchester. — 

 This exceedingly elegant finch is seldom, so far as I can discover, seen anywhere but 

 in the North of England, it being a native of the northern portion of Europe ; but as 

 one was lately shot in this county, T think it worthy of record in the ' Zoologist.' The 

 specimen I allude to, a very fine male, and in good condition, was shot during the cold 

 weather last winter, at Herringstone, near this town, the seat of Thomas Davis Bayly, 

 Esq., and is now in the possession of a friend of mine in Dorchester. — John Garland; 

 Dorchester, July 9, 1853. 



[The brambling certainly occurs occasionally near London, and that sometimes in 

 great numbers: during last March I found several frozen to death in my garden. — 

 Edward Newman. ~\ 



