Birds^ — Reptiles. 



2355 



nately ' kestrils ' or ' hawks.' The goatsucker is a * night-hawk.' The magpie is a 

 ' maggy.' And I have heard some old people recite a doggrel rhyme referring to the 

 bittern, which, though now never found here, used — in their youthful days — to be not 

 uncommon in the vicinity of Doncaster: — 



" There '11 either be rain or else summat waur, 

 When ' butter-bumps ' sing upo' potterie car." 

 — J.Hawley ; Hall Gate, Doncaster, Yorkshire, October 5, 1848. 



Note on the length of Song of some of the British Song Birds, as remarked in the 

 year 1848 — 



Opens. Song ends. Reassumes. 



Robin (Erythaca rubecula) Jany. 22 June 27 Septr. 8 



Common Wren {Troglodytes vulgaris) „ 22 July 14 „ 8 



Skylark (Alauda arvensis) „ 25 „ 19 ,, 13 



Song Thrush (Turdus musicus) „ 26 „ 29 Octr. 6 



Missel Thrush (T. viscivorus) „ 27 May 27 



Chaffinch {Fringilla ccelebs) „ 29 June 27 Septr. 10 



Hedge aceentor {Accentor ?nodularis)... Feby. 23 May 30 



Blackbird {Turdus menda) March 7 July 29 



Yellow Hammer {Emberiza jlava) „ 20 Augt. 6 



Chiff-chaff {Sylvia hippolais) April 9 „ 13 



Linnet {Lino ta can nabina) „ 11 June 14 



Wryneck {Yunx torquilla) „ 21 May 30 



Nightingale {Philomela luscinia) „ 23 June 27 



Cuckoo {Cuculus canorus) „ 25 „ 21 



Willow Wren {Sylvia trochilus) „ 25 Augt. 6 



Tree Pipit {Anthus arboreus) „ 25 July 13 



Blackcap {Curruca atricapilla) May 2 „ 13 



Garden Warbler {C. hortensis) „ 4 „ 3 



Wood Wren {Sylvia sylvicola) „ 6 Augt. 27 



F. A. Chennell ; Esher, Surrey, November, 1848. 



On the Viper swallowing its Young. — Mr. Percival's interesting note (Zool. 2305) 

 on this subject reminds me of a very similar anecdote, told to me several years ago by 

 a gentleman who is an accurate observer, and who has had long experience in all kinds 

 of field sports. He one day shot a viper, and almost immediately afterwards it was 

 surrounded by young ones, in what appeared to him the most mysterious manner. 

 But here the grand link was wanting, which Mr. Percival has supplied, — the young 

 ones were not seen to come out of their mother's mouth. I may be allowed to men- 

 tion an anecdote, told to me in 1842, by an illiterate shepherd of Hougham, near 

 Dover : he met me catching vipers, and, on my entering into conversation with him, 

 he volunteered — without any allusion of mine — to tell this curious story. One day 

 his father came suddenly upon a viper surrounded by her young ; she opened her 

 mouth and they all ran down her throat : he killed her, and, leaving her on the ground, 

 propped her mouth open between two pieces of stick ; presently the young ones 



