In the Neighbourhood of Salisbury. 



315 



to be recorded of this species, which happened near Warminster. 



In May, IS66, a fine male specimen of this bird was shot by a mason 

 ! named Turner, at Boreham, about a mile from the town above-men- 

 I tioned. While at his work he observed a pair of these birds playing 

 I round an apple tree. He watched them for some time and then 



ran off to get a gun, and on his return he shot the male bird, which 

 ■ was in beautiful condition, and set up by King, of Warminster. It 



is still, I believe, in Mr. Turner's possession, who is quite alive to 

 | the value to be attached to an English-killed specimen of this rare 



bird. 



With this bird we come to an end of the long list of the Insessores, 

 j or Perchers, and I can only hope that this paper may contain interest 

 j enough to the lover of birds to cause it not to appear tedious, or 

 H spun out to too great a length. I wish I could have adduced more 

 D actual and decided proof concerning some of the occurrences men- 

 tioned, especially concerning the nesting of the Grey Shrike, and 

 ;j the occurrence of the young Hoopoes. But having personally sifted 

 i J the matter as closely as I could, and being convinced myself of the 

 J truth of the facts, I did not wish to withold the statement of the 

 U cases, which were most readily and obligingly given me, and I would 

 here thank all those who have very kindly furnished me with the dates 

 and other circumstances connected with the occurrences mentioned 

 I in this paper, without whose assistance it must needs have contained 

 I but a very meagre and imperfect list. I would remark that I have 

 I noticed some occurrences of our very rare birds, which cannot per- 

 chance be called strictly local, but with these exceptions I have 

 I restricted myself to those happening in the valley of our own river 

 Avon, the mouth of which, at Christchurch, affords such a rich 

 : harvest to the ornithologist that it ought not to be omitted. It is 

 there that our migratory birds in many instances first reach our 

 shores from other lands, and where we must perforce go to gather 

 our chief local information concerning the rarer species of the 

 1 Grallatores and Natatores, consisting of the wading and swimming 

 j portion of our indigenous birds. 



