Birds 



8005 



Occcurrence of the Crane at Hartlepool. — Mr. Abbott, a birdstuffer, of Church Street, 

 Hartlepool, has just received for preservation a fine and perfect specimen of the crane. 

 It was seen in an open field near that place and was killed at a distance of eighty yards. 

 This magnificent, ornamental and most docile bird is in all respects adapted for the 

 climate of England, and was formerly so abundant here that Archbishop Neville, as 

 reported in Leland's ' Collectanea,' served up two hundred and four cranes at a single 

 feast. Without asking why an archbishop should have exceeded Heliogabalus in the 

 extent and lavish prodigality of his banquets, we may ask why such a magnificent bird 

 is killed whenever it sets foot on our inhospitable shore. Why should we perpetually 

 seek to verify the satirical remarks of our acerb but truthful poet Rogers, who has said 

 that whenever the sun happens to shine of a morning an Englishman exclaims, " See, 

 here's a fine morning! let us kill something." — Edward Newman. 



Occurrence of the Eyyptian Goose at Alton. — About a month ago, I am not sure of 

 the exact date, as I only heard of the fact yesterday, three Egyptian geese were killed 

 at one shot, on Frensham Pond, about nine miles from here. The one I sent you an 

 account of before was shot at Oakhanger Pond, which is only about four or five miles 

 from Frensham. I know of no one near here who keeps any Egyptian geese, as from 

 four being shot so nearly together one would almost suppose they must have escaped. 

 1 have only known of two shot in this neighbourhood before these four, and that was 

 some years ago. — P. Crowley ; Alton, March 26, 1862. 



Occurrence of the Sclavonian Grebe at Halifax. — A female specimen of the Scla- 

 vonian grebe was shot on the 17th ult. by Mr. Marchant, at the Victoria Reservoir, 

 Halifax. — George H. Parke ; Stamvay Old Hall, Halifax, April 1, 1862. 



Occurrence of the Blackthroated Diver near Scarborough. — A young female bird of 

 this species was found dead, washed ashore on the north beach here, a few mornings 

 since, by a fisherman, having evidently perished from exhaustion. Several little auks 

 and young of the great glaucous gull have been taken on the coast. A few common 

 crossbills were noticed in a small plantation here near the sea, and one killed by a boy 

 with a stone ; another, a fine old male bird, was shot on alighting in the Castle Holmes. 

 Birds, on the whole, though, have been scarcer here than usual this winter. — Alwin S. 

 Bell; Scarborough, March 15, 1862. 



Occurrence of the Manx Shearwater, Thickknee and Crossbills in the Neighbour- 

 hood of Huddersfield. — In the month of September last a fine male specimen of the 

 Manx shearwater (Pujfinus Anglorum) was taken by a boy in a mill-dam, where it had 

 been seen for many weeks; the dam abounded with gold fish. On January 17th a 

 very fine specimen of the thickknee ((Edicnetnus crepitans) was caught at Toothill, in 

 an exhausted state: it has been preserved by Mr. Williamson. In December last 

 the gamekeeper of Mr. Taylor, Almondbury, shot fourteen crossbills (Loxia curvi- 

 rostra) on Storthes Hall Moor, all in a fine state of plumage: these have been pre- 

 served by Mr. Mozley. — James Vurley ; Almondbury Bank, Huddersfield, March 15, 

 1862. 



Birds of Paradise at the Zoological Gardens. — One of the most beautiful and inte- 

 resting additions to the menagerie of the Zoological Society has just been made, by 

 the safe arrival in the Regent's Park of two living birds of paradise {Paradisea papuana). 

 The restricted habitat of these birds, and the dangers and difficulties attending an 

 exploration of their haunts in the unhealthy climate of New Guinea, have hitherto 

 rendered almost hopeless any attempt to procure living specimens of these lovely birds. 

 There are but few instances known of birds of paradise having been kept in confinement, 



