4366 Birds. 



Remarks on a List of the Birds of West Cumberland.— W\\\ your correspondent, 

 Mr. Buchanan, allow me to make a few inquiries respecting some extraordinary state- 

 ments in "A List of the Birds of West Cumberland," communicated by him to the 

 ' Zoologist' (Zool. 4166)? I have delayed doing this till now, hoping that some one 

 more competent than myself would have called attention to them sooner. I am sure 

 I am only expressing a desire which must be felt by every ornithologist in asking Mr. 

 Joseph Robson to favour the readers of the ' Zoologist ' with some more information 

 concerning the swallow-tailed kite which he states was shot in Eskdale, in the spring 

 of 1853 ; this peculiarly American bird having, as far as T am aware, been taken only 

 twice before on this side the Atlantic, — on one occasion fifty, and the other eighty, 

 years ago (letting alone the fact that in the former case the bird, not having been 

 killed, subsequently escaped from its captor, while in the latter naturalists have long 

 lost sight of the identical specimen), — makes its occurrence here a third time very in- 

 teresting, and I think justifies my asking for the following particulars: — 1. A detailed 

 description of the specimen said to have been killed in Cumberland. 2. The exact 

 date of its occurrence. 3. The name and address of the person who shot it, and of 

 its present possessor. 4. And some details of the circumstances under which it was 

 obtained. The crested tit apparently is considered in the same light as the other tits; 

 and the alpine accentor, with " Cold Fell, &c." as its localities, appears not to be 

 thought much of in this fortunate county of Cumberland; as also, the little ring plo- 

 ver, spotted sandpiper, little and masked gull, which are rare enough in this part of 

 the country, though they are staled to be "common" in Cumberland. However, 

 should these birds, which are scarce in other parts of England, be " common " in 

 Cumberland, surely Mr. J. Robson may expect a rush of ornithologists from all parts 

 of the kingdom, each one endeavouring to obtain specimens of these birds for himself. 

 — Robert. Birkbeck ; Keswick, Norwich, June 8, 1854. 



Occurrence of the Hoopoe and Oriole near Blandford. — A fine specimen of the 

 Hoopoe (Upupa Epops) was shot a short time back at Organ Ford, near Wareham, 

 by the gamekeeper of J. Oldham, Esq., and is now being stuffed by Mr. Hart, of 

 Chris! church. Also, in the garden at the rectory in this parish, a golden oriole 

 (Oriolus Galbula), was, about three weeks back, seen constantly during more than a 

 week, by the gardener, who described it to me as " about the size of a thrush, and of 

 a bright yellow, with black on the sides." He also said, " that it was by no means shy, 

 but hopped about on the newly dug ground, apparently picking up worms and insects." 

 I have watched there several times since, but have not been able to catch a sight of it 

 myself; still as the place is immediately contiguous to a large extent of orcharding, I 

 have every hope that it may be peacefully undergoing the cares of a family, in one of 

 the numerous apple trees apparently well suited for the purpose; for I do not imagine 

 the male bird (which I conclude was the one the gardener observed) would stay so long 

 a time as a week on the same spot, except accompanied by its mate, which the gar- 

 dener would probably not have noticed, it being so very sober in plumage compared 

 with the male. — Octavius Pickard-Cambridge ; Bloxworth House, Blandford, June 8, 

 1854. 



Occurrence of the Little Bittern and other Rare Birds in Surrey. — I beg to record 

 a little bittern shot in the neighbourhood of Guildford, in Surrey, and now at Mr. 

 Mansell's, Farnham, to be preserved. It is a female, in good condition, and with eggs 

 in her when killed. I take this opportunity of enclosing a list of rare birds obtained 



