2418 Birds. 



would even go to the extent of admitting that the food of the sparrow and its young 

 was altogether stolen grain. The argument I would offer for the prosecutor's consi- 

 deration is, that the grain was stolen from the bird, and that he merely took his own 

 again. Man cultivates the land for his own benefit, and totally forgets that various 

 others of God's creatures have a life-interest in it. Why were the sparrows created ? 

 Shall man place his puny wisdom and self-interest against the forethought of the 

 Almighty ? When the Lord gave man power over the animate creation he permitted 

 him to kill and eat of the fowls of the air, not to kill the birds in order to eat grain. 

 I wish all would think of this a moment before they shoot the offending sparrow ; per- 

 haps they might relent.—/. S. Webb ; Huddersfeld, March 20, 1849. 



Occurrence of the Fire-crested Regulus (Regulus ignicapillus) at Rye. — I have 

 much pleasure in recording the capture of this rare British bird at this place. Having 

 been informed by Mr. Honeysett, of this town, that the golden-crested Regulus was 

 frequently found in his garden, I was anxious to get a few specimens ; and this 

 morning I shot a very fine specimen of the fire-crested Regulus, in company with its 

 congener the golden-crested Regulus. It has been admirably mounted by Mr. Mar- 

 tin, the excellent bird-presever here. — /. B. Ellman ,\ Rye, March 30, 1849. 



Occurrence of the Bearded Tit (Parus biarmicus) near Tring. — On the 2 1st of De- 

 cember, 1848, a pair of these beautiful little birds, male and female, were shot in this 

 neighbourhood. It may be proper to state that there are several large reservoirs, 

 about a mile and a half from Tring, abounding with reeds, the favorite resort of these 

 birds. The reeds have generally been cut every autumn ; but, owing to the unusual 

 quantity of rain which fell during the latter part of last summer, they have remained 

 standing all the winter, which no doubt accounts in some measure for the appearance 

 of my little friends. I am aware they are by no means uncommon in the fenny dis- 

 tricts of Norfolk and Cambridgeshire, having frequently — during my residence at the 

 University — had the nest and eggs brought me, with those of the sedge and reed 

 warblers ; and I have for some time thought it possible I might meet with them (the 

 birds) here, but it is the first time I have had the good fortune to do so. I only ob- 

 served two, which flew out of the reeds into an alder-bush, where they were shot : 

 they were in beautiful plumage. When first killed the beak of the male was of a fine 

 orange colour, but faded almost immediately. — James Williams ; Tring Park, Tring \ 

 Herts, April 7, 1849. 



Occurrence of the Hawfinch (Loxia coccothraustes) and Crossbill (L. curvirostra) 

 at Rye. — In the latter part of December and beginning of January a few specimens 

 of the hawfinch were shot, three of which came into my possession. As usual, the 

 crossbill accompanied them, but only one was shot. — J. B. Ellman ; Rye, February 

 19, 1849. 



Nesting of the Linnet (Fringilla cannabina) and Nightingale (Sylvia luscinia). — 

 A nest of the linnet was built and the first egg laid in a small box-tree, by the side 

 of my garden-gate, on the 15th of April (1848); the fifth and last egg on the 19th. 

 The first young was hatched on the 1st of May, or in twelve days; on the 13th, or 

 twelve days after hatching, the brood left the nest. The song of the nightingale was 

 first heard April 19th ; its nest built and first egg laid by May 8th : it began to sit, 

 on six eggs, May 13th ; its young were hatched May 25th (on which day its song 

 ceased) : the young left the nest June 7th. From these examples, which are my own 

 daily observation, I infer that the SylviadaD and Fringillidae incubate in twelve days, 

 and that the same time is taken in fledging the young. If I have time next summer 



