8196 



Birds. 



most expert manner, perpendicularly, to the depth of five or six feet, then horizontally 

 under water for a long distance and with great celerity, using both wings and feet. It 

 repeated this several times till it reached the rock from which it had flown. I landed, 

 expecting to pick it up, when I was surprised to see it walk down the slanting side of 

 the rock for three feet under water, and then strike out again. When it rose I shot it, 

 and thus ascertained its species. I think it very probable these birds, like the dipper, 

 have a certain power of diving in search of food. Not knowing that these birds dived, 

 I inquired of Mr. Newman for information, and finding the fact entirely unknown to 

 him, I insert this.— H. Blake-Knox ; Bartragh, Dalkey, Co. Dublin, September 4, 

 1862. 



Woodcock breeding near Keswick, Cumberland. — My brother, J. S. Mawson, when 

 out in search of insects on the 24th of June, nearly stepped upon the nest of a wood- 

 cock, containing four eggs : the old bird was rising from the nest at the time. My 

 brother continued to visit the nest daily up to the time she hatched, which was on the 

 7th of July : the old bird allowed him to go within a couple of yards of the nest with- 

 out being in the least annoyed. The nest is merely a slight hollow in the ground, 

 with a few dry leaves round the sides. The old bird, when sitting upon the nest, 

 always rests the point of its beak upon the ground, with its dumpty tail almost erect, 

 giving it a curious appearance. The nest is upon a dry bank facing the North, which 

 I believe is nearly always the case with the woodcock, the bird preferring the shady to 

 the sunny side of a bank. The eggs are very similar to those of the corn crake, being 

 rather larger and in colour much the same. After hatching, the young birds left the 

 nest almost immediately. — George Mawson ; Gill House, August 18, 1862. 



Occurrence of the Great Snipe near Malham, in Yorkshire. — Two very fine speci- 

 mens of the solitary snipe (Scolopax major) were killed on Saturday last, September 6, 

 by Mr. W. Braysley, at Malham, iu this county. The birds were both found on high 

 ground, and almost a mile and a half apart. Mr. Braysley has very kindly given me 

 one of the birds for my collection ; it weighed over eight ounces, and was, I believe, a 

 female; the other weighed rather less: both were in very good plumage. — W.Christy 

 Horsfall ; Horsforth Low Hall, near Leeds, September 8, 1862. 



Occurrence of the Black Stork near Hartlepool. —I have just added to my collection 

 a fine specimen of the black stork (Ciconia nigra), which was obtained near Hartle- 

 pool, within the last few weeks. — Id. 



How they fatten Ducks in China. By Arthur Adams, Esq., F.L.S. 



A stroll through the straggling villages on the banks of the Great 

 River is pleasant enough in the spring. Along the level bund Coolies 

 are carrying burdens at the end of bamboos, rich men are riding in 

 couples on wheelbarrows, a little-footed woman is toddling awkwardly 

 along, and there is a shaven priest in a dingy robe. 



Inland is seen a vast, green, cultivated plain, with scattered farms 

 and hamlets, and their attendant white goats and hungry yelping curs. 

 An aged crone is usually spinning at the open door, the ducks are in 

 the dykes which always encircle the houses, and in the elm and wil- 

 low trees are the familiar magpies and mina-birds. 



