Birds. 



8283 



fnls of them, and given them to fowls and ducks, but they invariably turned from them 

 in disgust. Towards the end of August, however, I happened to look out of my study 

 window one morning after breakfast, when my eye rested upon a young cuckoo perched 

 on a red-currant bush immediately opposite the window, and busily engaged in picking 

 something off the branches. The tree was swarming with larvae of N. ventricosus, and 

 upon close inspection I found to my no small delight that he was making a hearty 

 breakfast on this obnoxious pest. He flew from bush to bush for about half-an-hour, 

 and then, having I suppose satisfied his appetite, took his departure. I have met with 

 several gamekeepers who were stupid enough and ignorant enough to kill every cuckoo 

 they come near, and whose masters did not possess sufficient ornithological wisdom 

 and common sense to forbid such an act of wanton cruelty. Perhaps the foregoing 

 remarks may in future save the life of a stray cuckoo or two. — H. Harpur Crewe ; 

 The Rectory, Drayton- Beauchamp, Tring, October 26, 1862. 



[I have long been aware, from personal observation, of the interesting fact mentioned 

 by Mr. Crewe : it is recorded in the ' Field ' newspaper for May last. — E. Newman]. 



Abundance of Young Cuckoos at Deal. — A great number of young cuckoos are now 

 being caught by the hand in and about gardens in this neighbourhood. Some fly into 

 houses and sheds, and they are so abundant as to be noticed by the residents. They are 

 extremely tame, and those which have passed through my hands are fat and in good 

 condition. I believe them all to be young birds not yet able to take their flight. — 

 H. J. Harding ; Deal, September 20, 1862. 



Occurrence of the Hoopoe at Deal. — A fine female hoopoe, shot near Deal in August 

 last, has lately been brought to me to be preserved. It was very fat and in fine plu- 

 mage. — Id. 



Occurrence of the Hoopoe and Spoonbill in Surrey. — A fine specimen of each of 

 these birds was killed a short time ago in this county, the first within a mile of this 

 town, and the latter at Frensham Pond, where so many rare visitors have been killed, 

 about four miles from Farnham. — W. Bridger; Guildford, October 30, 1862. 



Occurrence of the Gray Phalarope in the Isle of Wight. — A beautiful specimen of 

 this bird was shot on the 9th of October in a small pond in the centre of this village. 

 Though surrounded by several persons it swam about with the greatest coolness, as if 

 in its natural element — the sea. This morning another was seen in Freshwater Bay. 

 A terrific sea was running at the time, but the beautiful bird seemed like a cork floating 

 on the mighty waves. It was shot at three times, and huudreds of stones were thrown 

 at it, none of which injured it, and just as I got on the beach it took wing over Afton 

 Downs, and escaped its numerous persecutors. — Henry . Rogers ; Freshwater, Isle of 

 Wight, October 22, 1862. 



The Sandpiper a Diver. — In corroboration of Mr. Knox's statement (Zool. 8195), 

 about the common sandpiper's diving I have to state the following. In the autumn 

 of 1853, while staying at Mr. J. H. Hamilton's, Abbotsdown, near Dublin, I winged 

 a common sandpiper while flying across a pond in his grounds. It swam directly to 

 the shore, but on my approaching it, took to the water again and dived along the coast. 

 I distinctly saw its motions under water, and saw it occasionally run on the bottom. 

 1 could not secure it without another shot. It used its wings under water with quick 

 short jerks. The hoopoe has been noticed in this neighbourhood this autumn. Mr. 

 Alfred Pearce, of Chantrey, saw one at a mill in this vicinity on the morning of the 

 9th of September, but had no gun with him at the time. He has shot the bird before, 

 and is well acquainted with it. — G. C. Green; Modbury Vicaragp, October 20, 1862. 



