8770 



Birds. 



streaks or layers of white, but, like most other game in the East, is insipid, in conse- 

 quence of the heat rendering it impossible to keep it more than a few hours." Mr. 

 Stevenson (Zool. 8708) appears to think that not being " in season" may be the reason 

 of their wanting flavour; but though I have eaten them "in season" and " out of 

 season," they were invariably found tasteless. Possibly they might have been improved 

 by keeping ; but some of our Indian game birds, the snipe for instance (to say nothing 

 of the water-fowl), prove very delicate, though eaten within an hour or two of being 

 shot. They are considered inferior to other pigeons, particularly the large green spe- 

 cies. As to their being improved by a " corn diet," I doubt much whether corn of any 

 kind forms part of their food, their habitat being the arid, rocky and desert-like plains. 

 Though we do well to examine the crops and gizzards of these stray birds, we must 

 bear in mind that they may, and probably have been compelled to, subsist on unusual 

 or unsuitable food. The cause of this unprecedented northern migration it is difficult 

 to account for, though they may have been influenced or attracted by the unusually 

 mild winter and warm spring. That they should have migrated so far north to breed, 

 as suggested by one or more correspondent, is most improbable. As to " hatching 

 their young," there seems to be little chance of their being allowed to lay an egg. 

 With regard to their becoming naturalized, the querist should bear in mind that their 

 habitat is the arid, sandy desert, or tropical plains. Doubtless a fall of a few degrees 

 only in temperature would cause them to depart from our shores as suddenly as they 

 came. — Henry H ad fie Id ; Ventnor, Isle of Wight, September 3, 1863. 



Partridge perching in a Tree. — The other day, while going along the avenue, my 

 terrier strayed into a corn field, and rose a covey of partridges. All of them flew over 

 a high hedge into the next field, except one. That one (an old bird), to my surprise, 

 " split" from the rest of the covey, and alighted on the branch of a high tree. There 

 it sat, about twenty feet from the ground, until I approached and put it off. This is 

 the first time T have ever seen one do the same, though I have heard from game- 

 keepers, &c, that they do so occasionally. I write to ask you if many instances have 

 come under your notice, or if it is known to be] a usual occurrence. — John A. 

 Harvie Brown ; Dunipace House, August 23, 1863. 



[I have read of such a fact, but never saw an instance. — Edward Newman.~\ 



Jack Snipe shot on the River Hull. — An immature female specimen of the jack 

 snipe, in excellent plumage, was shot on the river Hull, near Beverley, by Mr. T. 

 Buckley, on the 18th of August. It was alone. This is the only instance I-have met 

 with of the jack snipe having been shot in this neighbourhood during the summer 

 months, although common in winter. It is now in my collection. — W. W. Boulton ; 

 Beverley, Yorkshire, August 31, 1863. 



Occurrence of the Little Bittern in Yorkshire. — On August the 22nd I called upon. 

 Mr. Roberts, birdstuffer, of Scarborough. He had just set up an immature, but beau- 

 tiful, female specimen of this rare bird. It was still quite soft and fresh, and was shot 

 on the mere close to Scarborough. — Id. 



Sandpiper Diving. — On the 8th of July last I wounded a sandpiper, and, for the 

 second time in my life, had the pleasure of seeing it dive. It escaped from me, I 

 think, by getting below the bank of the river, so I am unable to say where I hit it, but 

 think it most likely to have been hit in the wing. The water being muddy I merely 

 saw it dive, and could not distinguish its motions beneath the surface. — John A. 

 Harvie Brown ; Dunipace House, August 23, 1863. 



