NOTES AND QUERIES. 193 



clouded and uncertain in outline. The most interesting variety I have 

 seen was a Starling, which had been caught in a trap early in January. 

 The head is much darker than the rest of the body, the back, wings, 

 and tail are of a pale reddish buff, the under parts being of a darker 

 hue, and the whole plumage is very closely and prettily speckled, the 

 tip of each feather being more or less white instead of amber, as in the 

 ordinary bird. Viewed at a little distance, the bird has a dark head, 

 and the plumage gets gradually lighter to the tips of wings and tail, 

 which are almost white. The legs and feet are of the usual reddish 

 brown, beak the horn-colour of winter, and the eyes were normal. The 

 person to whom the specimen belonged suggested that it was an 

 undeveloped albino, but I think not, as in the white Starlings I have 

 seen the legs and beak were much paler, and, if I recollect rightly, the 

 eyes were pink, which, I believe, are the characteristic marks of a true 

 albino. — G. B. Corbin (Ringwood). 



A Mimicking Song- Thrush. — Many birds are well known to be 

 gifted with the power of imitating the songs of other birds, but until 

 this morning (May 5th) I was not aware that the Song-Thrush (whose 

 performance I have always thought rather poor) had the power of 

 imitation well developed. A Thrush sings nearly all day in my 

 _ garden, where I suspect it has its nest, and its cheerful but monotonous 

 notes are heard from about 4 a.m. until dark. I have, however, been 

 under the impression that this spring my garden has been specially 

 favoured 'by various British songsters — the Bobin, Hedge- Accentor, 

 and Great Tit I have seen repeatedly — but the notes of the Wren, 

 Willow -Warbler, and Spotted Flycatcher have on several occasions 

 awakened my interest. This morning, whilst watching the Thrush in 

 one of my trees, I heard him imitate the Wren, Bobin, Spotted Fly- 

 catcher, Starling, and Great Tit perfectly. Surely this is unusual. — 

 A. G. Butler (124, Beckenham Boad, Beckenham). 



Early Flycatcher in Northumberland. — On April 24th, near Shot- 

 ley Bridge, I saw for a moment two birds which I felt almost sure were 

 Spotted Flycatchers (Muscicapa grisola). I could not, however, stop to 

 make sure ; but three days later (on the 27th) I saw two Spotted Fly- 

 catchers in the valley of the Blyth at Stannington, near Morpeth, and 

 watched them for some time at a distance of five or six yards. There 

 was nothing to show that the birds were a pair. I have never pre- 

 viously seen a Flycatcher before the 12th of May. — E. Leonard Gill 

 (Natural History Museum, Newcastle-on-Tyne). 



Lesser Redpoll breeding in Yorkshire.— In the month of February 

 Zool. 4th ser. vol. VI., May, 1902. Q 



