Birds. 



6239 



tlie attempt to build at cilLer end of it, and commenced building a nest on a beech- 

 tree opposite, which it completed, and laid two egj^s in it. When the bird was thus 

 apparently established in the beech-tree, the stones over the door were taken away, 

 when the flycatcher immediately forsook its nest and eggs in the beech, and again 

 commenced building over the door, on the part of the projecting ledge which it had 

 first chosen. The nest was again destroyed, and two slates placed over the spot; the 

 bird contrived to throw down one of the slates from a slanting to a horizontal position, 

 and then began to build upon it. The nest was again destroyed, and the three stones 

 replaced and kept there a fortnight, after which they were again removed, and directly 

 they were taken away the bird again began building. The nest was subsequently 

 destroyed several times in succession ; the bird was twice driven away by a towel being 

 thrown at it ; a stone wrapped in white paper was placed on the ledge to intimidate 

 it, but the flycatcher still persevered, completed a nest and laid an egg. On hearing 

 the circumstance I directed that the persecution of the poor bird should cease, after 

 which it laid two more eggs, hatched all three, and successfully brought ofi" its brood. 

 — J. H. Gurney ; Catton Hall^ Norwich^ September 10, 1858. 



Motacilla campestris and M. hoarula. — I write in order to notice a somewhat 

 singular circumstance respecting the Ornithology of this district. Until the year 1855 

 a common species in this neighbourhood was Ray's wagtail {Motacilla campestris), 

 being found extensively both on the verge of the moor-land near Richmond, and also 

 in the corn and ploughed fields. The gray wagtail (Motacilla boarula), on the other 

 hand, was by no means abundant, notwithstanding that the rocky banks of the river 

 Swale were well adapted for the nidification of this species. For the last three years, 

 however, the case has been exactly reversed ; Ray's wagtail has visited us each year 

 in gradually decreasing numbers, until this season (1858) I have only observed two 

 pairs, whilst dozens of M. hoarula are to be found within a short distance of the town. 

 It has been suggested that the enclosure and cultivation of some waste land, which 

 they formerly greatly frequented, may have partly caused their retreat ; this reason can, 

 T think, however, hardly hold good, since, in some other districts, the birds appear to 

 select cultivated land in preference to that which lies waste, and, although deprived of 

 it here in one instance, there is of course plenty of moor-land to which they could still 

 betake themselves. — Henri/ Smurthwaite ; Richmond, Yorkshire, September 4, 1858. 



Emberiza nivalis, — Having lately returned from North America, where I had 

 frequent opportunities, during the winter, of observing the habits of the snow bunting, 

 I am glad to have it in my power to corroborate Mr. Mathews's assertion as to its 

 perching on trees, and his remark (Zool. 6208), "and if I persisted in following it up, 

 would at last fly off and alight on the hedge, or else on one of the trees,'' is exactly 

 similar to what I have noticed ; for, when either much disturbed or fired at, they would 

 occasionally leave the stubble in large flocks and fly into the neighbouring trees, which 

 then appeared as if clothed with white foliage. They were more than once shot, both 

 by myself and sons when thus settled among the branches : moreover, they cannot 

 only perch on "low broad railings" as stated by Mr. Doubleday (Zool. 6094), but on 

 the small twigs of the topmost branches. The same writer further observes, " that the 

 pure black and white plumage is their summer livery." Not having been in the Arctic 

 Regions, where this species is said to breed and pass the summer (North America being- 

 its winter quarters only), I cannot undertake to say what the plumage may be at that 

 season, but T think Mr. Doubleday's description of it, " pure black and white," is far 

 more like that of the snow bird {Fringilla nivalis), than that of Emberiza nivalis. He 



