NOTES AND QUERIES. 227 



along the hedge. The occurrence of the Lesser Whitethroat in Western 

 Wales must be pronounced rare and exceptional. — J. H. Salter. 



Involuntary Capture of a Swallow. — The following is a cutting 

 from the ' Waterford Standard,' May 16th, 1903 :— 



" A Strange Occurrence. — Mr. Frank Davis Goff, of Rockmount, 

 Kilmacthomas, had, on Monday last, a new if not an absolutely unique 

 experience while fishing on the Tay, a stream that runs from the 

 Comragh Mountains. While walking along the bank with his rod in 

 an upright position, and the casting-line flying in the breeze, he felt a 

 weight somewhat like that of a Trout, and on looking up to ascertain 

 the cause he was amazed to see a Swallow dangling from the tail-fly — 

 the bird, doubtless, mistaking the artificial fly for the natural one. He 

 at once reeled in the line, and, gently taking off the bird, let it off, and 

 it flew away apparently none the worse for its mistake. Can any of 

 our readers relate a similar incident ?" 



I cannot find in any of the text-books that I have on British Birds, 

 or in the pages of ' The Zoologist ' for the last twenty-five years, any 

 account of a similar capture of Hirundo rustica, though I have often 

 thought that such an occurrence was quite possible. Mr. E. F. 

 Bisshop relates (Zool. 1886, p. 417) that while fishing once for Tench 

 three Swallows perched on his rod at one time, but this was apparently 

 while it was fastened into the ground and stationary. The capture of 

 a Swallow by an artificial fly must be very unusual. It seems strange 

 that a bird with such a sharp eye could be deceived. — William W 

 Flemyng (Coalfin, Portlaw, Co. Waterford). 



[In Boosey's ' Piscatorial Reminiscences and Gleanings ' (p. 240) 

 two records are given of Swallows being hooked in a similar manner. 

 I have met with other instances, but cannot for the moment remember 

 where published. — Ed.] 



Goldfinch (Carduelis elegans) in South Africa. — With reference 

 to the note (ante, p. 191) on the extension of the range of this species 

 in Australia and Tasmania, I may mention that Mr. Barton, a soldier 

 in the Suffolk Regiment, who has lately returned from South Africa, 

 has two live Goldfinches at the present time in Bury St. Edmunds 

 which he caught on the hills at Heidelberg, in the Transvaal, when 

 stationed at Boxburg. He informed me that they were common half- 

 way up the hills and breeding, one being in the nesting plumage when 

 he caught it. I have seen these two birds myself, and they appear to 

 be exactly like the English Goldfinch, but if anything a trifle smaller. 

 So far as I can ascertain, this is the first occasion upon which the 



