644 Birds. 



ing made its appearance, many years ago, during harvest ; the bird 

 was shot while feeding on the berries of the elder. 



The Chough was once common along our southern coast, but is so 

 no longer. One or two pairs breed at Freshwater ; and two pairs 

 more in the cliffs between Niton and Blackgang. Mr. Butler once 

 obtained a chough alive : the bird sought refuge from a peregrine in 

 a barn, and was there captured. 



The Raven. Several pairs breed in the cliffs on our southern coast. 

 The carrion Crow is more abundant than pleases the gamekeepers. 

 The hooded Crow is seen occasionally only. I have been some- 

 times amused by the very opportune appearance of birds. I was one 

 day tramping the Sandham marshes, with my ornithological fidus 

 Achates, Robert Loe. " Did you ever see the hooded crow ? " I ask- 

 ed. " Yes, I have," was his reply ; " but not these seven years : " (a 

 moment's pause, but only a moment's) : " Why, what's that ? Sure 

 enough it is one of them ! " And sure enough there was a hooded 

 crow. I never saw but one other in the island, flying across, some 

 two hundred yards from the spot where we were standing. 



The Rook is abundant, but would be more so if the farmers knew 

 its value. 



The Jackdaw. Large colonies of this merry chatterer are esta- 

 blished along the southern coast. 



The Magpie is almost as abundant with us, as I found it on the op- 

 posite shores of Normandy ; where, I verily believe, it is more plen- 

 tiful than any other species of bird. I once counted eighteen in 

 company in this neighbourhood ; and I saw lately the effigies of at 

 least twice that number, nailed up against a keeper's wall, all killed 

 during last winter. 



The Jay, which goes by the name of the " Pranky Jar," is common 

 enough. C. A. Bury. 



Bonchurch, Isle of Wight, June, 1844. 



Notes on the capture and appearance of some of our rarer British 

 Birds in the County of Derby. By J. J. Briggs, Esq. 

 (Continued from p. 556). 

 The Merlin, Falco JEsalon. This pretty falcon is very rare through- 

 out the whole of this county. A specimen was shot near the borders 

 of Donnington-park (part of which is in this county) about four years 

 ago ; and on January 15, 1844, I had an individual sent to me, which 

 had been shot near the game-covers a few days before, by a keeper 



