8446 



Birds. 



Fire-crested Regulus (Kegulus ignicapillus) off St. Leonard's. — On the 29th of last 

 December a specimen of the fire-crested regulus was captured on board a collier, while 

 laying at anchor off St. Leonard's, about a mile from the shore. It was quite exhausted, 

 and allowed itself to be taken without making any attempt to escape. It is now in 

 my collection. — Robert Kent; St. Leonard' s-on-Sea, January 8, 1863. 



The Shore Lark (Alauda alpestris) near Lowestoft. — A specimen of this rare bird, 

 which is now in the possession of Mr. Gurney, of Norwich, was procured by me 

 on the 28th of November, 1862. It was shot whilst running about quite alone on our 

 Denes, on the day previous. Two or three others had also been seen, but not obtained. 

 — Arthur Wells Roberts ; Lowestoft, December 3, 1862. 



Early Sparrow's Egg. — On the 12th inst I picked up, on the pavement in front of 

 my house, a sparrow's egg. It was quite fresh, and must have been laid that morning, 

 as I am sure it was not there the day before. Is not this a very unusual occurrence at 

 this time of the year ? — W. Christy Horsfall ; Horsforth Low Hall, near Leeds, Decem- 

 ber 15, 1862. 



White Variety of the House Sparrow (Fringilla domestica). — Mr. Gunnell, farmer, 

 of Milton, in Cambridgeshire, shot, on the 28th of November last, a nice clean white 

 variety of the house sparrow. This specimen was as white as any I ever saw, having 

 only two small feathers of a dingy colour in its entire plumage. This poor little 

 inoffensive farmer's helpmate had been constantly hunted by every idle boy in the 

 parish, until it became a prey to Mr. Gunnell's fowling-piece, in my idea not over 

 much to his credit, myself loving to see such rarities at large. — S. P. Saville ; Dover 

 House, Cambridge, January 5, 1863. 



The Bittern (Ardea stellaris) at Eastbourne. — A very fine bittern was shot here on 

 the 25th of November, which I had the opportunity of seeing and examining in the 

 flesh. — John Dutton ; Eastbourne, December 18, 1862. 



Spotted Crake (Crex porzana) near Taunton. — When snipe-shooting, on the 18th of 

 November, in some fens near Taunton, I shot a couple of spotted crakes. I mention 

 this because of the late date, if the birds are to be considered migratory ; there would 

 be nothing unusual in the circumstance if this crake is only a partial migrant, as I am 

 inclined to fancy it to be. My brother shot a specimen of the same species, on the 

 1st of March last, on the Braunton Burrows. This bird did not appear to have recently 

 made a long flight, and might have been on the Braunton Marshes all the winter. 

 The more it is considered the more difficult the migration question becomes to solve. 

 I cannot help thinking that a careful collection and investigation of facts relating to 

 the migration of birds, animals and fishes (and even insects), with a view to solving 

 this problem, would be a more worthy object of labour than one or two questions which 

 have been engaging the attention of our leading naturalists of late. — Murray A. 

 Matthews, Taunton, December 6, 1862. 



American Snipe. — In reply to the editorial query (Zool. 8287), I beg to say that 

 I consider Scolopax Gallinago, S. americanus and S. Wilsoni constitute one species 

 only, and that species distinct from the common snipe of Europe. We also find it 

 named Scolopax Biehmi, &c, and Macgillivray says, "A species of snipe, Scolopax 

 Wilsoni, occurs in North America." I would call it Scolopax americanus, seeing that 

 there is but one known species in North America, and it has doubtless a better claim 

 to be so designated than our common snipe has to be called the European snipe, 

 seeing that four or more species occur. Though I have described — rather minutely, 

 too — one of the darker specimens I procured, I had no idea of its being distinct. 



