Birds. 



8325 



Uniformity in size of Pamphlets on Natural History, Botany, fyc. — There are often 

 pamphlets puhlished on various hranches of Natural History, and lovers of the Seience 

 are induced to purchase, either from the novelty of the subject or the known abilities 

 of the writers. These tracts after you have read them too often become useless ; they 

 cannot be bound in volumes from the fact of their being published of all sizes, and not 

 of one uniform size. I have three pamphlets that I should like to preserve, but they 

 are each of them too small to be bound separately, and they all differ in size. I would 

 respectfully suggest to your readers that if any of them publish separate papers, it 

 would confer a favour on the lovers of Science if they would print them of the same 

 size as the 4 Zoologist,' with which they might be bound, and so preserved. The fact 

 of their being that size would be an additional inducement to buy, and it would be no 

 detriment to the general reader. — John Whatt; Kirby Moorside, Yorkshire. 



The Kite (Faloo Milvus) near Kings bridge. — A fine old male of the common kite 

 was shot on the banks of the Avon, near this place, on the 13th of October. Its general 

 plumage is much lighter than any other specimen I have seen. — Henry Nicholls,jun. ; 

 Kingsbridge, South Devon, October 18, 1862. 



The Roughlegged Buzzard (Buteo lagopus) on the Norfolk Coast.— On the 10th of 

 November an immature specimen of the roughlegged buzzard was shot on Hasboro' 

 beach. This bird .was observed by a man who was shooting small birds flying slowly 

 over the sea towards the shore, on reaching which it immediately alighted, and was 

 shot whilst sitting on a heap of shingle. About the same time another fine bird, very 

 nearly adult, was killed at Graton, near Lowestoft, in the adjoining county. — H. Ste- 

 venson; Norwich, November 18, 1862. 



Occurrence of the Honey Buzzard (Falco apivorus) near Eastbourne. — A very fine 

 honey buzzard was shot in an apple tree in the garden of Mr. J. Govvinge, of Billing 

 Farm, near Eastbourne, on the 17th of September last. It had been seen about the 

 neighbourhood several days. Its companion, which was also seen about the spot, was 

 shot at Seaford a few days after, and is in the collection of the Rev. Mr. Dennis of that 

 place. — J. Dutton; Eastbourne, November 16, 1862. 



Ashcoloured Harrier (Falco cineraceus) near Norwich. — About the 10th or I lth of 

 August a birdstuffer in this city received three young specimens of the ashcoloured 

 harrier, from a nest found at Sutton, two of which were sent to the Zoological Gardens. 

 These birds still breed with us occasionally in the eastern parts of the county.— if. 

 Stevenson ; Norwich. 



The Great Gray Shrike (Lanius Excubitor) at Leyton Marsh. — A fine male spe- 

 cimen of the great gray shrike was shot by a young man named Watson, on the 28th 

 of October, in a garden adjacent to Leyton Marsh. — William Morris; Leyton, Essex, 

 November 3, 1862. 



The Pied Flycatcher (Muscicapa luctuosa) in the Isle of Wight. — Several speci- 

 mens of this bird were seen here in May last, and scarcely a year passes but a few spe- 

 cimens occur. I obtained one good specimen last summer, and have taken a nest and 

 eggs. I have no doubt it would breed here annually if unmolested. — Henry Rogers; 

 Freshwater, Isle of Wight, November 3, 1862. 



Blackbird's Nest. — Last year a blackbird built its nest in a ventilator in a cowhouse. 

 The hole was the breadth of the bricks, and in height about eighteen inches. The 



