NOTES AND QUI^tlES. 471 



fully three feet from the ground, and was well concealed by the leaves of the 

 bramble. I have never seen a nest of this bird actually upon the ground, 

 but very rarely more than a foot or so above it, and generally surrounded 

 by dry leaves, grass, fern, or some tangle of the kind ; but this nest more 

 resembled in its situation that of a Chaffinch. — Allan Ellison (Hills- 

 borough, Co. Down). 



The Hawfinch in Middlesex. — Having read Mr. Aplin's article on the 

 "Immigration of Hawfinches " (p. 367), it occurs to me that the following 

 note may be of interest to your readers. On Dec. 8th, 1889, while watching 

 some birds feeding on crumbs and fruit in a garden here, I discovered two 

 Hawfinches. They were very shy, and kept under the shelter of a rhodo- 

 dendron-bush, apart from the Sparrows, Chaffinches, and other birds. I 

 saw them only on that day, though I looked for them on several subsequent 

 occasions. — Alfred Sich (Burlington Lane, Chiswick). 



Squacco Heron in Wales. — About sixteen years ago a Squacco Heron, 

 Ardea ralloidea, was shot at Glansevern, Gathruyl, Montgomeryshire, at 

 some ornamental water close to the house. It is a full-plumaged bird, and 

 has been nicely set up ; it is in the possession of Mr. A. C. Humphreys- 

 Owen at Glansevern.— Charles F. Archibald (Rusland Hall, Ulverston). 



Ked-breasted Flycatcher at Scarborough.— The Red-breasted Fly- 

 catcher, Muscicapa parva, shot at Scarborough on Oct. 23rd, 1889, and 

 mentioned by Mr. Cordeaux (p. 363) is not in my collection, as he sup- 

 poses, but is among the recent additions to Sir Vauncy Crewe's collection. 

 — J. H. Gurney (Keswich Hall, Norwich). 



Notes from Christchurch, Hants. — I have added one new species to 

 my collection, viz., a Lapland Bunting, which I slightly wounded on 

 March 13th last, just after that great snow-storm; it lived some months, 

 but unfortunately died. I have it now preserved in my collection, being the 

 only Hants specimen that I know about. A Spoonbill was in the harbour 

 during May. Wildfowl came in rather early ; Wigeon by Sept. 25th. On 

 the 29th five Avocets were in the harbour, and an Osprey for several days ; 

 this bird was shot at, but not killed. On Oct. 8th saw first Phalarope. 

 Oct. 12th Fieldfares arrived. After this came that extraordinary visit of 

 Phalaropes from the 16th to 22nd; there were simply hundreds. The 

 wind then went N.E., and they soon made on south ; the last I saw was on 

 the 28th. On that morning I shot the first Brent Goose for the season. 

 I also saw the same or another Osprey ; it was seen again next day. It 

 has not been killed up to the present, I am glad to say. On Friday night 

 last (6th) a female Night Heron was shot by a river-keeper on the Stour; 

 the man brought it to me just after, but, having them so well represented 

 in my collection, I did not require another. I think his master, Mr. Wilkes, 



