2496 Birds. 



and the robin again this year visited the spot, and, finding the pot hanging above the 

 " taboo," thought it a safe speculation again to occupy it, and accordingly made ano- 

 ther nest, — thus again safely rearing her progeny. It will be curious to see if she 

 should return another year. — /. F. Christy ; Stangate, June, 1849. 



Occurrence of the Minor Grackle (Gracula religiosa) in Norfolk. — On my observa- 

 tion, headed as above, and dated January 23rd, the editor expressed his opinion 

 (Zool. 2391) that this, being not even a European bird, must have escaped from an 

 aviary. By stating a few facts connected with its capture, such opinions will, I think, 

 appear to have less ground than at present. When first discovered this bird was ac- 

 companied by its mate ; both were in distance one hundred yards from the sea, and 

 evidently so tired that an attempt was made to capture them, which they avoided, 

 proceeding inland. When next seen they were about a mile from the sea ; and at 

 Hickling, two miles from the same, the bird in question was shot. All this happened 

 in the space of two or three days. From these statements one would naturally con- 

 clude they had migrated ; first, because of their position, so near the sea ; secondly, 

 because of their condition, a state of weariness ; and lastly, because of their proceed- 

 ing inland, as would be the case with most migratory birds. Again, no aviary I be- 

 lieve exists (at least containing such birds) within twenty miles of the place in which 

 these were first seen ; and it seems curious that they should escape from a distant 

 aviaiy and not be seen till approaching so near the sea, and that the owners of such 

 (considering their value as Indian specimens) should make no inquiry respecting their 

 loss. If the aviary was near at hand we should most probably have heard of the es- 

 cape ; if far distant, how could the deserters so long have avoided detection, espe- 

 cially in a place so open and ill-wooded as the above mentioned ? The question 

 which now remains, is, supposing a migration took place, what was the cause of such ? 

 This I can answer but indifferently, merely stating that strong south-east winds had 

 been prevailing two days, and on the third the birds were discovered. — W. E. Cater ; 

 Queens College, Cambridge, May 25, 1849. 



Occurrence of the Golden Oriole (Oriolus galbula) in Kent. — Two specimens, male 

 and female, of this rare and beautiful bird were obtained near Elmstone last week, 

 together with their nest (of very rare occurrence in this country), which was suspended 

 from the extreme end of the top branch of an oak tree, and composed entirely of wool 

 carefully bound together with dried grass : it contained three eggs, of a pure white, 

 mottled with black. The note of the male bird precisely resembles the whistling of 

 the common parrot, and is very powerful. — J. B. Ellman ; Rye, June 5, 1849. 



Occurrence of a supposed new British Woodpecker near Whitby. — Shot near Whitby 

 at the beginning of this year. Sex not determined. Beak narrow, slight and pointed, 

 about as long as the head ; a tuft of dirty yellowish white hair-like feathers projecting 

 over each nostril. Crown of head, occiput and nape black. Lore black and white 

 intermixed. A broad white band over each eye, extending to base of skull. Ear- 

 coverts black. A white band from gape passing under the eye, and continued so as 

 to form an almost complete ring round the back of the neck : beneath this is a black 

 band from base of lower mandible to scapulars. Scapulars and upper part of back 

 black : middle of back white, without spots or bars. Upper tail-coverts grayish black. 

 Both sets of wing-coverts black, each feather with two or three roundish white spots 

 on the outer and inner web. Quill-feathers black, slightly tinged with brown, with 

 eight well-defined, rather elongated spots of white on the outer web, and rounded 

 patches of white OO the inner web, forming eight distinct bands : third, fourth, fifth 



