8524 



Birds, 



popular notion current in Yorkshire respecting the destruction of the old robins by their 

 young, though he does not answer the query, " Are there any grounds for it?" but 

 says, " Considering the advantages they enjoy they ought to be very common, and yet 

 they cannot be said to be so." " There must be some cause or causes at work to keep 

 down their numbers." "The question is what are those causes?'' I would in the 

 first place suggest, in reply to Mr. Ransom's remark, that it is unreasonable to suppose 

 that the stronger birds should be killed by the weaker ; even if attacked by numbers, 

 having greater power of wing they would readily escape, and so unnatural too that 

 the young should destroy the parent birds. As to the " young birds being common in 

 June and July, and the old ones rare," I think it is readily accounted for. Allowing 

 only four to a brood that would make two to one. And then we must recollect that 

 the parent birds have to rebuild and rear another progeny before reappearing in our 

 gardens, another reason for redbreasts being very rare indeed in June and July. 

 Though Mr. Whatt seems at a loss to account for its not being a more numerous 

 species, the reasons I think are obvious. First, their greater tameness and familiarity 

 render them an easy prey to cats; secondly, being a tender and sparsely-feathered 

 species many perish of a severe winter, particularly in the Northern Counties. That 

 the robin should be less numerous than the hedgesparrow in the North is not surprising. 

 During a year's residence in Morayshire I do not remember seeing one in the garden, 

 though sheltered and well stocked with trees, but I occasionally met with it in my 

 rambles. In most parts of France the robin is scarce, though the climate is more 

 favourable, but there it is preyed on both by man and beast. In the south of France 

 I have seen strings of them exposed for sale in the markets. — Henry Hadfietd ; 

 Ventnor, Isle of Wight. January 17, 1863. 



Early Occurrence of the Swallow.— In a letter from a near relative, residing a few 

 miles from Boston, in Lincolnshire, dated April I, 1863, the occurrence of a swallow 

 is thus mentioned : — " A swallow was found one day a week ago in the swill-pail set 

 at the back-kitchen door. A piece of beef had been boiled, and the liquor had been 

 poured out into the pail. The swallow appeared to have fallen into the hot liquor. 

 It was alive when found, though it died shortly afterwards. Where did it come from ? 

 Was it an early and exhausted arrival which fell from weakness after reaching the 

 house?" — J. C. Atkinson ; Danby-in- Cleveland, April 7, 1863. 



The Sandpiper a Diver. — Mr. Blake-Knox says (Zool. 8493) that in mentioning 

 the diving of the sandpiper it was " simply as a fact hitherto little known." The mere 

 fact of the wounded bird endeavouring to effect its escape by diving may be interesting 

 and worthy of note, but in itself proves nothing as to the habits of birds of that species 

 in a natural and healthy condition, though your correspondent seems to think otherwise, 

 for he refers to " habits hitherto generally unknown being added to the life-histories 

 of these interesting birds;" then remarks, to prove iny observations "rather incon- 

 sistent," u When a bird can dive for safety, can it no! also dive for other reasons— food 

 or pleasure?" Undoubtedly it could, but whether it would, or, rather, has occasion 

 to do so, is the question. That it is not the sandpiper's usual habit to seek for food 

 at the bottom of streams or pools there can be little reason to doubt; and as to its 

 taking pleasure in it, I am inclined to believe that it only dives when winged and pur- 

 sued, having no other way of escape. And if proof were wanting of its diving not 

 being habitual or natural it might be found in the fact that a man of Mr. Bluke-Knox's 

 experience of the species never yet saw a sandpiper dive except when wounded. 

 He savs, " My chief object in writing my first paper was to learn from correspondents 



