1496 Birds. 



as we have lately had so many stragglers from that country, but a 

 close examination and comparison, proves beyond doubt, that our 

 bird is strictly identical with that described by Mr. Gould. Mr. 

 Yarrell informs me that the Australian and Indian species are not 

 identical. 



Edward Newman. 

 Peckham, September, 1846. 



Curious capture of the Goshawk. — I was so fortunate at the beginning of this year 

 as to obtain a goshawk, caught in the following curious manner : the hawk was perched 

 on a gate-post, so intently watching a flock of starlings, that he did not perceive the 

 approach of a man, who captured him by seizing his legs. — George Horn ; Egham, 

 June, 1846. 



Nesting of Montagu's Harrier in Norfolk. — On the 23rd of May I took a nest of 

 this rare bird with two eggs in it, and on the 13th of June another nest with two eggs 

 also ; the eggs in both were quite fresh, and there would probably have been five in 

 each. The nests were composed of dead grass and sedge, laid loosely together on the 

 ground. The eggs in one nest were spotted with brown. — C. B. Hunter ; Downham, 

 Norfolk, August 23rd, 1846. 



Occurrence of the Great-homed Owl at Hampstead.— On the 3rd of November, 

 1845, my father preserved for Mr. Burgess, Temple House, Hampstead, a female 

 specimen of the great-horned owl (Strix Bubo) ; it was caught, after much trouble, in 

 a hedge near the house, and was kept for some time, and until it died : it was very 

 fierce during its captivity, and had been severely wounded in the wing by shot pre- 

 viously to its capture. — Thomas Hall ; 7, City Road. 



On the occurrence of Parti-coloured Song Thrushes. — On the 18th of last June, 

 William Marshall, of Bunton, near Pontefract, found in a hedge at that place a nest 

 of young song thrushes which were colored black and white. There were four in the 

 nest at the time ; the colors were differently disposed on each ; the greater part of one 

 bird was white, the others had more of black, but none were, of the usual colour. The 

 birds are still in the possession of the finder. — Henry Thompson; AcJcworth, 

 July 14th, 1846. 



Early arrival of the Chiff-chaff near Swansea. — Having read in the June number 

 of the 'Zoologist' a notice of the early appearance of the chiff-chafFat Penzance, I 

 beg to inform you that it was first heard by myself and others in the neighbourhood of 

 Swansea on the 30th and 31st of January, from which time its note was frequently re- 

 peated. — Arthur Berrington ; Swansea, July 7th, 1846; 



Singular variety of the Wheatear (Motacilla CEnanthe). — A singular variety of this 

 bird was shot at Spetchley, about four miles from the city of Worcester, on the 28th 

 ult., by R. Berkeley, Esq., of Spetchley Park, who presented it to the Worcestershire 

 Museum. The black streak over the eyes, cheeks, and ears is gone, but there is a 

 slight trace of the white line ; the flight feathers and wing coverts are white, edged 

 with a kind of buff; the rump and part of the tail is white, as in ordinary birds of this 

 species, but all the rest of the plumage of this specimen is a kind of buff.— George 

 Itecce ; Worcester. 



