Birds. 2455 



Occurrence of the Hoopoe (Upupa Epops) in Norfolk. — A few specimens of the 

 hoopoe have of late occurred in this county, as they often do, especially in the spring. 

 — J. H. Gurney ; Easton, near Norwich, May 1, 1849. 



Late-remaining Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus). — A cuckoo was shot close to the city of 

 Worcester, on the 14th of October last. — M. Curtler ; Bevere House, near Worcester, 

 April 19, 1849. 



Late appearance of the Swallow (Hirundo rustica) in 1848. — On the 25th of Octo- 

 ber, 1848, some workmen being engaged upon the roof of my house, I was surprised 

 by the appearance of three swallows flying about the men. I had not seen one since 

 the beginning of the month. By the side of the edge of the gable end of the house 

 the plaister was broken away, forming a hole, which led under the roof. While 

 watching the birds, which came occasionally quite close to my face, I saw first one, 

 then another, alight upon the ledge of the gable end, near the hole. Now, I thought, 

 I am about to settle the question of hybernation : but I was disappointed. Though 

 I watched them for several hours — though I sent the workmen to another part of the 

 house, yet, although they frequently settled about the hole, they never entered it. 

 They were evidently young birds, and had been disturbed. One of them rested upon 

 the chimney, and appeared weak and dull. I lost sight of them during the day ; but 

 the following morning, the weather being warm, I saw several flying about high up 

 in the air. There is some mystery about these things. Why have these late appear- 

 ances been more remarked this year than other years ? How did the birds obtain food 

 during the three weeks of bitter cold weather when they were not seen in October? — 

 C. R. Bree; Stowmarket, March, 1849. 



Occurrence of the Oyster-catcher (Haematopus ostralegus) in Worcestershire. — A 

 good specimen of the British oyster-catcher was shot on Monday last, on the river 

 Severn, near Kempsey, about five miles from Worcester. For this bird to be met 

 with so far inland is a circumstance I believe to be unrecorded. — M. Curtler ; Bevere 

 House, near Worcester, April 19, 1849. 



Occurrence of the A voce t (Avocetta recurvirostra) near Lynn. — A specimen of the 

 avocet was seen near Lynn a few weeks since. — John Henry Gurney ; Easton, near 

 Norwich, May 1, 1849. 



Occurrence of the Avocet in Romney Marsh. — A specimen of this bird was shot 

 about four miles from here, by a fisherman, a week or two since. These birds are 

 now very rare in this part, though formerly they used to breed here. — /. B. Ellman ; 

 Rye, April 17, 1849. 



Occurrence of the Avocet near Ramsgate. — A pair of avocets were shot during the 

 month of March, in the marshes between Ramsgate and Sandwich. The man who 

 shot them told me that they had been seen in nearly the same place for some weeks 

 before. They are very fine specimens ; and I do not doubt that, had they remained 

 undisturbed, they would have bred in the marshes. — Henry Benson ; Trinity College, 

 Cambridge, April 29, 1849. 



Occurrence of the Spotted Sandpiper (Totanus macularius) at Whitby. — A beauti- 

 ful adult female was shot just to the north of the pier, at Whitby, on Thursday, the 

 29th of March, by a sailor on the beach. The bird came in the flesh the next day to 

 Mr. Graham, my bird-stuffer, in York, by whom it has been very well set up, and is 

 now in my collection. It is, I believe, the first instance of this bird being taken in 

 Yorkshire ; though Mr. Higgins, of York, tells me he saw one in March, 1 848, but 

 was unable to secure it, on the same coast as my bird was found on, about thirty 



