4096 Birds. 



tised upon her, which the more shallow nests of other birds would enable them readily 

 to perceive. Often with my boat moored to one of the reedy aits of the beautiful river, 

 did I watch for a considerable time the reed-wren sitting on her nest in a gale of wind ; 

 now bowed down nearly to the water's edge, now springing back, swingiug to and fro, 

 driven here and there, as a sudden gust seized the reeds to which the nest was sus- 

 pended, or a lull left them time to regain their former position : nothing seemed to dis- 

 concert her, or to come amiss, and though often brought within a foot of the stream, 

 and the nest half inverted, never did I see it touch the water, or any likelihood of real 

 danger occur. — Alfred Charles Smith; Yatesbury Rectory, Calne, October 10, 1853. 



Occurrence of the Nut-cracker (Nucifraga Caryocatactes) at Yarmouth. — I have a 

 fine specimen of the nutcracker, which was shot by a fisherman, off Yarmouth, on the 

 7th of this month, (October, 1853) : it is in a beautiful state of preservation. — James 

 Green ; 1, East Road, City Road, October, 1853. 



[This bird was brought to me in the flesh. — E. N.~] 



Note on the occurrence in Sweden of Pluvianus Mgyptius. — I have lately seen a 

 specimen of this bird, which I am assured was obtained in Sweden about four years 

 since, by a gentleman from England who was shooting in that country. It is said to 

 have been killed in the summer season, and to have been obtained not very far from the 

 city of Stockholm. This statement is by no means so full as might be desired, but I 

 think it worth recording, as I believe it to be correct, my informant being a party on 

 whom I think reliance may be placed. The specimen is an adult bird, in full plu- 

 mage. I believe this bird has not previously been recorded as having been obtained 

 in Europe, its native country being Northern Africa, where it is found as far West as 

 Senegal, and as far East as Egypt and Nubia, being a common species on the banks 

 of the Nile ; on which account, perhaps, it has been supposed to be the bird that feeds 

 upon the insects which settle upon the mouth of the crocodile, and which acts as a 

 friendly monitor to the gigantic reptile on the approach of danger. Some travellers, 

 however, state that this office is performed by the spur-winged plover of Egypt (Ho- 

 plopterus Persicus), and possibly both birds may have the same habit in this respect. 

 The Pluvianus iEgyptius is the only known species of its genus, and appears to hold 

 a position intermediate between the coursers and the pratincoles, and also to be allied 

 to some of the types of plovers. One peculiarity of the plumage of the bird is very 

 curious, and unlike anything I know in the plumage of any other bird, namely, a tuft 

 of elongated black feathers, which, if they grew from the head, would form a pensile 

 crest, but which, instead of being situated in that locality, spring from between the 

 shoulders, and reach down the centre of the back, between the wings, for two-thirds or 

 more of the length of the bird's body. Trusting that ornithological observers will look 

 out for other European examples of this interesting species, I take the liberty of call- 

 ing the attention of the readers of the ' Zoologist' to the above circumstances connected 

 with it. — /. H. Gurney ; Easton, Norfolk, September 22, 1853. 



Occurrence of the Red-necked Phalarope at Rottingdean. — On Tuesday last, the 

 4th of this month, a red-necked phalarope was killed here, it having been observed 

 in the morning swimming with the ducks on the pond in the heart of the village. The 

 bird had already so completely attained its winter plumage, that the head, neck, and 

 breast, from the whiteness of those parts, resemble those of Bewick's figure of the gray 

 phalarope, being totally unlike, in that respect, to Yarrell's red-necked, and having 

 merely a faint tinge of colour from the tips of the feathers. It may be added, 

 that Yarrell's representation of the leg and foot of the phalarope docs not exhibit the 



