8192 



Quadrupeds.— Birds. 



exhausted this subject, which is one of the highest possible interest ; 

 indeed the essay may be designated as suggestive rather than con- 

 clusive, appetising rather than satisfying: nevertheless it is a valuable 

 work, as showing the resources ofa scientific region hitherto unexplored, 

 the riches of a mine hitherto unworked ; and I have great pleasure in 

 most cordially recommending it to the notice of my readers. 



Edward Newman. 



Curious Habit of the Shrew. — A friend of mine, when shooting by the use-burn, 

 saw some object apparently struggling on the rocky and shallow bed of the bum. At 

 this he fired, and on picking up his game was considerably astonished to find that he 

 had killed a black shrew and a small fish. Probably the fish had been too strong for 

 its captor, as they were apparently rolling over and over in the water, and doing battle 

 with all their energy. — T.J. Bold, in ' Transactions of the Tyneside Naturalists Field 

 Club; April, 1862. 



Occurrence of the Orangelegged Hobby near Hythe. — An adult female of the orange- 

 legged hobby (Falco rufipes) was killed at Sandling Park, near Hythe, in the early 

 part of this summer. I saw the bird soon after, but as I believe its occurrence in this 

 instance has not been recorded, I have asked permission to notify it. — W. Oxenden 

 Hammond ; St. Alban's Court, near Wingham, September 15, 1862. 



Curious Capture of a Hobby. — One day last week a labourer brought me a fine 

 adult male hobby {Falco subbuteo), and curious enough was his story of its capture. 

 The man (an invalid) was taking a stroll in the church-yard of Chesterton, Cambridge- 

 shire, accompanied by his little boy, who all at once said, " Oh, father, look ! what 

 curious bird is that drinking at the pond?" The man made no reply, but crept gently 

 up to the hedge, this side of the pond, and by some manoeuvre or other managed to 

 put a walking-stick over its back, and in this manner captured the bird, which turned 

 out to be a hobby. When brought to me it was lively, and, to all appearance, in good 

 health: the man informed me that it ale meat freely. I have since had it preserved, 

 and no appearance of any injury, either externally or internally, was apparent: its 

 plumage was also nicely clean, and in all respects, as far as I could see, a healthy bird. 

 I will vouch for the honesty of the man who captured it. The hobby is with us not 

 by any means a frequent visitant, only a pair or a single bird occasionally occurring. 

 The hobby is a good sportsman, generally making his appearance some time in 

 September, and again retiring about October or November. On reference to my 

 note-book I find I have a note of the capture of the hobby as early as the 12th of 

 August, but these instances are not general. In the field the hobby is a bold and 

 daring falcon, pursuing his prey with astonishing avidity and fierceness. The par- 

 tridge is his particular favourite: I have always noticed that when seen or captured, it 

 has invariably been in the vicinity of an abundance of that bird. — S. P. Saville ; 

 Dover House, Cambridge, September 15, 1862. 



The Song Thrush singing later than usual. — That beautiful songster, which has been 

 lauded by at least half-a-dozen of our poets, and by Robert Bums particularly, as the 



