5280 Birds. 



clear that the bustard killed near Hungerford on the 3rd of January last cannot have 

 been one of these ; but as it is the nature of bustards to migrate in companies it is 

 possible that the three observed this year in England might have originally formed 

 part of the same flock ; and I may also add, on the authority of Mr. Baker, the 

 naturalist, of this town, that a great bustard was, in February last, killed in the 

 province of North Brabant, in Holland, which might also have been another 

 member of the roving band. — Osbert Salvin ; Trinity Hall, Cambridge, August 25, 

 1856. 



Little Crake (Crex pusilla) in the Isle of Man. — Extract from note-book : — " Isle 

 of Man, 1847. When looking for snipes at the Dog-mill Swamp, about two miles from 

 Ramsey, a crake was shot by me, which, from its wavering flight, and somewhat 

 similar size, I at first took for a jack snipe, but it proved to be a crake, the 

 smallest I had ever seen, being considerably less than the jack snipe." Although I 

 am aware that the little crake has occasionally been met with in the southern 

 counties, I am not so sure that it has been found before so far north as the 

 Isle of Man. — Henry W. Hadjield ; High Cliff", Ventnor, Isle of Wight, Sep- 

 tembers, 1856. 



Occurrence of the Avocet in Nottinghamshire. — I beg to record the occurrence of 

 the avocet (Recurviroslra avocetta) in this neighbourhood. I saw one on the 23rd 

 inst., when fishing at the junction of the Trent and Soar: it was feeding on the gravel 

 towing-path at the mouth of the Soar, and, upon being disturbed by a barge-horse, 

 crossed the Trent close over my head, giving me a distinct view of its curved-up beak. 

 I went up the river for several miles the following day with a gun, but could not find 

 it. At the above-named place the counties of Leicester, Nottingham and Derby meet, 

 so that all three can claim this avocet as a visitor. — George Wolley ; Beeston, near 

 Nottingham, July 28, 1856. 



Inquiry respecting the Sexes of Geese. — I had, on my fancy water at Southend, 

 four Egyptian geese (see Meyer). I lost one — it was the smaller and more delicate 

 bird: we suspected it to be the only female. The remaining three neither attempt 

 to breed or lay. Pray how, and by what characteristics, can I ascertain the sex of the 

 birds, that I may supply what is wanting ? I received them as two pairs originally. 

 I have two Garganey teal ; they neither attempt to breed nor lay. In both these 

 cases the plumage is nearly identical. — Joseph Pease ; Southend, Darlington, 

 September 5, 1856. 



Black Swans breeding in Confinement. — My black swans began to make their nest 

 about the 1st of January, 1855; the female had laid, I think, five or six eggs by the 

 7th, when she began to sit ; by about the 15th of February she hatched off three 

 cygnets, which are now living, and are fine birds. Their nest was composed of a large 

 quantity of rushes, which they had collected themselves, and was built in a situation 

 entirely exposed to the east winds: the frost was very severe, the thermometer at one 

 time being within a very few degrees of zero, and the snow being very thick on the 

 ground at the time. No further care was taken of them than feeding them with 

 corn. This year they went to nest at the same time ; about a fortnight before hatching 

 they made a second nest, for some unaccountable reason, and in endeavouring to move 

 their eggs (but by what means I do not know) they let them fall into the water, where 

 they must have remained some hours: they were put under the bird when they were 

 quite cold, but it is most extraordinary that two cygnets were hatched out of the six 

 eggs : these lived for about six weeks, when one was killed accidentally ; the other 



