J 50 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



twenty yards of it, it slipped quietly into the bushes, at the roadside, and 

 was lost to view. — J. J. Dowling (Stillorgan, Co. Dublin). 



BIRDS. 



Varieties of the Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Reed Bunting, and Black- 

 bird. — in October last one of the prettiest varieties of the Goldfinch I 

 have ever seen was caught with other Goldfinches near Cambridge. It is 

 pure white, having on each wing a broad band of the brightest yellow ; eyes 

 pink. A pale grey female Greenfinch was shot near Cambridge about the 

 same time. In December a very pretty white variety of the Reed Bunting 

 was shot, also near Cambridge; it has many grey feathers interspersed 

 amongst the white ones, and is a striking and uncommon variety. I have 

 added these birds to my collection of varieties, which now contains over 

 450 specimens of 107 British species. When in York, in November last, 

 I bought a very curious variety of the Blackbird. The plumage is slate- 

 coloured ; the top of the head pure white ; and the throat, wings, and 

 breast also white.— J. Whitaker (Rainworth, Notts). 



Heron carrying off a Waterhen. — A Heron came down on a Water- 

 hen at the brink of a pond here a short time ago, carried it off to a high 

 bank (both birds screaming), and, after giving it two or three pecks, flew 

 away with it. I have known Herons to carry off Water Rats, but never 

 heard before of their getting hold of Waterhen s. — John Dillon (Lismullen, 

 Navan, Co. Meath). 



White Robins in Surrey. — In the summer of 1893, among a number 

 of Robins hatched in the garden of Wilmer House, Ham, Surrey, was one 

 white bird. I had two opportunities of watching the bird at very close 

 quarters, as he was very tame, and a short time ago I heard that it had 

 been shot by a boy friend, and have since seen it in its stuffed state. It is 

 a very large specimen, nearly white, save for a little brownish colour on the 

 back, and a slight reddish patch on the throat ; legs long and slender, and 

 semi-transparent ; eyes black, which I am informed was their colour in the 

 flesh. I heard of another white Robin having been seen in Richmond 

 p ar k. — Arthur W. Hasted. 



Waxwing in Co. Down. — On February 23rd last, I examined a 

 Waxwing, Ampelis garrulus, sent in from Portaferry, Co. Down. It was an 

 immature male, had seven " wax " points on each wing, and measured eight 

 inches from tip of bill to end of tail. It had been found in a potato shed 

 and was much emaciated, weighing only l£ oz. — Robert Patterson 

 (Malone Park, Belfast). 



Cuckoo seen in March.— We are accustomed annually to hear reports 

 of the Cuckoo being seen or heard long before the usual date of its arrival. 

 Such rumours, however, generally come from irresponsible persons, some 



