5204 Birds. 



one evening when it was nearly dusk, and saw the bird on the hedge close to him : he 

 drew back a little and fired at the place where he had seen it; but being so near and 

 having a large gun, he shot off all the tail and otherwise injured it. He thought that 

 he had spoiled the bird so much that it could not be stuffed, but thinking it uncommon, 

 kept it by him just as it was for some time; when Mr. Norman, a bird-stuffer, 

 at Royston, saw it, and knowing its value took it home with him to try to set it up, 

 although it was then getting decayed, in addition to being so badly shot. A female 

 merlin also was shot here during the winter: this bird is a pretty constant winter visi- 

 tor with us, and in the severe winter before last I obtained a very fine adult male 

 bird. — Edward J. Tuck ; Wallington, near Baldock, Hertfordshire, July 21, 1856. 



Anecdote of Sivallows. — The following facts are given as related to me by my son : 

 — Towards the latter end of May a pair of house-sparrows having at Hampton Wick 

 imprudently taken possession of a martin's nest of the previous year were attacked by the 

 former owners, which endeavoured at first to drive out the intruders, but failing in doing 

 so, in consequence of the determined and obstinate resistance met with, they proceeded 

 to build up the entrance, which they speedily accomplished, for on the nest being in- 

 spected two days later no aperture was to be seen, and a sparrow was heard chirping 

 from within ; but on the following morning both nest and sparrow had totally disap- 

 peared, the imprisoned bird having apparently in its struggles to escape brought the 

 whole fabric to the ground, leaving the martins in quiet occupation of the much- 

 coveted site whereon to re-erect their frail mansion, which was immediately rebuilt, 

 and in due course they succeeded in hatching and rearing their brood. — R. W. Had- 

 Jield ; High Cliff, Ventnor, Isle of Wight, July 1, 1856. 



Tubercular Excrescences of the Hedgesparrow. — Although the excrescences about 

 the bill and eyelids of this bird have been frequently noticed, I am not aware that any 

 author has described them as extending to the whole of the toes of both feet, but such 

 was the state of one brought to me ; its toes were literally almost covered with them, 

 some of the size of a pea or larger, and being pendulous gave to the feet an unsightly 

 and deformed appearance. I have yet to learn whether these excrescences are com- 

 mon to the hedgesparrow throughout the country. Although birds are not, that I 

 know of, similarly afflicted in the east, men are. At Cochin legs of a prodigious size 

 are not uncommonly seen, resembling those of the elephant, from which they derive 

 their appropriate name. — Id. 



Attack on a Cat by Hedgesparrows. — Although it is a well-known fact that most 

 birds will, in defence of their young, expose themselves to great danger, it appears 

 almost marvellous that so small and gentle a bird as the common hedgesparrow should 

 be so totally regardless of it, as the following extract from my note-book would seem 

 to prove: — May 17, 1852, at 8 o'clock, a. m., the attention of my son was attracted by 

 an unusual fluttering and screeching noise under his window, on looking out of which 

 he observed, to his great surprise, two hedgesparrows in the act of attacking a cat, 

 flying at and dashing past and about it in all directions ; this being repeated several 

 times so bewildered and disconcerted Grimalkin, that apparently finding discretion the 

 better part of valour, beat a hasty retreat, leaving its brave little opponents masters of 

 the field. The young birds being unable to fly, (having only quitted their nest on the 

 previous day), were compelled to take refuge beneath a thick privet. — Id. 



Egg Prodigies. —Dating my residence at Peterhead, N. B., between the years 

 1850 and 1853, a goose laid a similar "prodigy" to that mentioned in the 'Zoologist' 

 (Zool. 5123): it was exhibited for a long lime in a butcher's shop there: I carefully 



