180 Birds. 



1785, according to Pilkington, our county historian, anosprey was' 

 also killed here. Since that period another has been shot (I believe 

 in 1835), a noble and beautiful bird, which, in a good state of preser- 

 vation, is in the possession of Mr. Kobinson, the Shaw, Melbourne. 

 It was captured whilst in pursuit of its favorite prey, fish, being 

 doubtless attracted to the spot by the appearance of a considerable 

 sheet of water. An accurate observer, to whom I am indebted for 

 many new and valuable observations, assures me that in October, 

 1841, he saw a bird of this species near Weston Cliff, soaring at a 

 considerable altitude above the Trent, and that it was beating over 

 the surface of the stream in as regular a manner as a pointer his 

 shooting grounds. When a fish caught his eye he hovered on quiver- 

 ing wing for a moment, and then dashed down with great velocity 

 into the stream, throwing up wreaths of spray in all directions around 

 him. When a fish was seized, he bore it away in his talons to some 

 distant spot to devour, and again returned to the scene of prey as 

 before. Probably the fish taken by him were bleak or dace, as they 

 are most frequently seen sporting near the surface. In the same 

 month of the same year, an individual was shot a mile lower down 

 the river, beneath Donnington Cliff, by the most noble the Marquis 

 of Hastings, which probably was the bird before alluded to. It is 

 preserved in his lordship's collection at Donnington park. 



J. J. Briggs. 

 King's Newton, Melbourne, Derbyshire, 



Note on the occurrence of rare Birds near Great Yarmouth. 

 By W. R. Fisher, Esq. 



I BEG to send you a list of the rare birds which have made their 

 appearance here within the last two years ; they consist chiefly of 

 what are generally termed stragglers, but several species are included 

 which migrate, at irregular intervals, in considerable numbers. 



Honey Buzzard [Pernis apivorus). Five or six specimens, vary- 

 ing very much in plumage, were taken in Norfolk, about the end of 

 September, 1841 ; two of these were shot near Yarmouth : another 

 specimen was shot near Lowestoft, last autumn. 



Blue-throated Warbler [Motacilla Siiecica). One of these birds 

 was found dead on the beach, September 21st, 1841. 



