24 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
Brood of Young Starlings in mid-November.—We have had many 
instances recorded of the unusual mildness of the last autumn. It will 
perhaps be interesting to state that during a walk on Nov. 14th I saw a 
fimily party of Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris), the young in the slate-coloured 
plumage of the nestling stage, in a meadow at King’s Heath_—F. Copurn 
(Holloway Head, Birmingham). 
Common Roller in Sussex.—A second specimen of Coracias garrulus 
was shot at Catsfield, near Battle, on Oct. 12th. It is a male, and a much 
brighter bird than the one I recorded in the last volume of ‘ The 
Zoologist’ (p. 469). The man who secured the hen bird says that he 
believes that there is still another one in the neighbonrhood. Mr. Bristow, 
taxidermist, of St. Leonards, has had the two birds through his hands for 
preservation.— Grorcz W. BrapsHaw (Hastings). 
Montagu’s Harrier breeding in Ireland. Correction.—I am sorry to 
have to correct the statement I made in ‘The Zoologist’ (1897, p. 467). 
The specimen of the supposed Circus cinerascens shot in Co. Kerry has 
again been examined by Dr. Sharpe, and he has after all pronounced it to 
be only a young cock Hen Harrier—Joun H. TErspate (St. Margaret’s, 
West Dulwich). 
Nesting of the Hobby in Hants.—I have much pleasure in recording 
the fact. of Falco subbuteo having nested last year in Hampshire, although 
I do not suppose that this is the first instance of its having bred in that 
particular county. A farmer’s lad took three young birds from a Crow's 
nest near Basingstoke, some time during the nesting season, and sold them 
to my friend Mr. Blaine. Only one of the birds was a male. My friend 
purchased the Hawks with the object of training them for falconry. They 
arrived at his home in Bath safely enough, but after he had kept them for 
a short time one of the females escaped. I believe it had the “ jesses ” on 
when it got away. ‘The other two birds he kept in a large room with 
a female Merlin, which is trained to fly at Larks. One sad day the Merlin 
and the remaining female Hobby set upon and devoured the little male 
Hobby, which was by far the tamest of the lot. I saw two of these 
Hobbies soon after my friend received them, and was much struck with the 
beauty of their plumage and graceful pose.—C. B. Horsprues (Richmond 
Hill, Bath). 
Brent Goose in Warwickshire.—On Nov. 6th, 1897, an adult male 
example of Bernicla brenta was shot at Karlswood, Warwickshire, and for- 
warded to me. ‘This is the first record I have of this bird for Warwick- 
shire, although each of the neighbouring counties has recorded it. — F, 
Copurn (Holloway Head, Birmingham). 
