4440 Birds. 



hastening out I was informed that the bird, which was of" the size and appearance of 

 a blackbird, only with a white breast and back," had flown off'. After waiting a short 

 time, however, the stranger reappeared in the shape of Pastor roseus : it was being 

 tormented by a flock of sparrows and yellowhammers, who seemed to regerd him some- 

 what in the same light as we should his fellow-countryman a Zulu Kaffir. A gun was 

 quickly procured, and the bird shot. I believe it to be of extreme rarity in Scotland. 

 Yarrell (the only authority I have here with me) only mentions three instances of its 

 appearance. — Alfred Merle Norman ; Isle of Cumbrae, August 7, 1854. 



Note on the occurrence of the Gray-headed Wagtail (Motacilla flava) at Lowestoft. 

 — Mr. Thurtell, an intelligent bird-stuffer at Lowestoft (on whose observations I have 

 full dependance), has sent me the following note on the above subject, which I have 

 pleasure in forwarding for insertion in the 'Zoologist.' — " During the protracted dry 

 weather from the beginning of last March to the end of April we had the wind from 

 the North-east, with light sunny days, and every day for more than six weeks there 

 were to be seen some forty or fifty yellow wagtails running upon our denes, and on 

 the 24th of April I observed a gray-headed one amongst them. I fetched my gun 

 and shot it. On the 25th I killed two more, and on the 26th I killed one. These 

 four were all males; besides which I shot, on the 26th, two females. — J. H. Gurney ; 

 Catton, Norfolk, July 24, 1854. 



Peculiarities of Grouse. — A correspondent in the neighbourhood of Carr-Bridge 

 says, he noticed the other day a remarkable instance of that wonderful instinct which, 

 even in the most timid of the feathered race, is sometimes found to inspire a courage 

 almost supernatural in defence of offspring. As Mr. S. W. Hurrel was crossing the 

 hill between Carr-Bridge and the Spey, on a fishing excursion, with some of his dogs 

 following, one of them pointed, when a gray hen offered to do battle in defence of her 

 brood, and flap, flapping her wings like fanners, Gallina, with heroic bravery, actually 

 beat her canine antagonist, and, to the no small wonder of the party, drove him crest- 

 fallen away. Another instance of the singular force of the same natural instinct may 

 be mentioned. Mr. Bass, M.P., and his friends, who have taken the shootings around 

 Carr-Bridge, are in the habit of giving presents to the herd-boys in the districts, in 

 order to engage them, bond fide, to preserve the nests, and, if possible, guard them 

 against external violence. One of the keepers lately accosted one of these herd-boys, 

 and, in answer to several queries on the subject of nests, was told by the boy, that, in 

 guarding the game from molestation, he had no difficulty except with one nest, which 

 was situated in a place much frequented by the cattle, and which, he said, must have 

 been destroyed unless by some means protected. ' But,' continued the boy, ' I have 

 built a little house of stones and turf about it, and that will prevent the cattle from 

 getting at it.' ' But,' replied the astonished keeper, 'you will certainly scare away the 

 bird.' ' O no,' rejoined the boy, ' I have left a little door for the hen to get in and out 

 at, and she sits on the eggs as usual.' The keeper, on visiting the place, actually 

 found this to be the case; and several persons, attracted by curiosity, have seen the 

 same singular phenomenon. — Communicated by J. Gralton, Esq. 



Tufted Duck breeding at Osberton. — I beg to send, for insertion in the ' Zoologist,' 

 the following interesting account of the discovery of the nest of a tufted duck at Os- 

 berton, in Notttinghamshire, by my nephew Francis Foljambe, Esq., this summer, and 

 1 cannot do better than quote his own words. — " On Tuesday, June 13th, 1854, I was 

 informed by the keeper that he had discovered the nest of a pair of tufted ducks that 



