2568 Birds. 



the parish, for the sake of his own crops and those of his poorer neighbours in future. 

 — Torquay, August 22, 1849. 



[In a garden a stuffed cat, placed in a conspicuous situation, has been found a ca- 

 pital scare-bullfinch : I may recommend, in addition, that in preparing a cat for this 

 office there is no occasion to exercise ingenuity in making the cat look horrible and un- 

 like a cat, for I have found that birds soon get familiar with any effigy, however 

 frightful, if it does not somewhat represent the reality which they have cause to dread. 

 — Edward Newman]. 



Black Variety of the Bullfinch (Loxia pyrrhula). — From the neighbourhood of 

 New York, and distant about twelve miles, I received a black bullfinch, on the 7th of 

 April last: it is wholly black, with the exception of two or three reddish brown fea- 

 thers on the belly, and one of the outer tail-feathers, which is partially white. For* 

 two years it had been a caged bird, and after its last moult, changed as described 

 above. What I think most worthy of notice is, that its food consisted entirely of ca- 

 nary seed, and not of hempseed, as mentioned in the instances of black bullfinches, re- 

 corded by White of Selborne, and others : it would appear, therefore., that food alone 

 is not the cause of the change, but probably, some constitutional derangement in the 

 bird. As is usually the case with caged bullfinches, it died very suddenly, and very 

 fortunately, in good feather for preservation. — James C. Garth ; Knaresborough, Au- 

 gust 15, 1849. 



Albino Variety of the Swallow (Hirundo rustica). — A perfectly white swallow was 

 shot at Spofforth, on the 20th of last July, which came into my possession on the fol- 

 lowing day ; the irides were a pale pink colour. — Id. 



Occurrence of the Night Heron (Ardea Nycticorax), White Egret (Ardea alba), and 

 Stork (Ciconia alba) near Wisbeach. — A fine adult male specimen of the night he- 

 ron was captured close to the town of Wisbeach on the 19th ult. It was taken by a 

 man named Neale, at work in a field by the side of the River Nene. Neale's attention 

 was attracted to a large tree by the clamorous noise of some crows, who were buffeting, 

 at what he conceived to be, a " very curious bird ;" and having procured a gun, he 

 shot and winged the rarity. He took it home alive, and after keeping it for five days, 

 subsequently sold it to Mr. Matthews, a baker, who for nearly three weeks, fed it by 

 cramming pieces of eel down its throat. I have seen the bird several times, and on 

 my last visit it appeared to have become more reconciled to its confinement, and now 

 takes its food regularly, which consists of three average-sized eels daily. The colour 

 of the irides differs much from the description given in works of Natural History, in- 

 asmuch as in this specimen they are of a blood-red, and not of a yellow colour. About 

 the same date, a fine male specimen of the white egret was shot in Thorney-fen, 

 which has since been preserved, and is now in the collection of the Rev. Dr. Strong, 

 of Peterborough. A fortnight since a white stork was, I am informed, shot at Stoke 

 Ferry, near Downham. This has also been preserved. — J. W. Foster ; Curator of the 

 Museum, Wisbeach, July 17, 1849. 



Correction of an Error respecting the Pectoral Sandpiper. — Sometime since I com- 

 municated to the Zoologist (Zool. 2392) that I had purchased a specimen of the pec- 

 toral sandpiper (Tringa pectoralis), which was said to have been killed at Yarmouth, 

 in September last: I now much regret to say that, I fear that I was imposed upon 

 with respect to this specimen ; and that it is, in reality, a foreign one. — ./. H. Gurncy ; 

 Easton. near Norwich, August 14, 1842. 



