G242 



Birds. 



They varied considerably in form and size. Those in corners were of an irregular, 

 rounded shape, rectangular above, where ihey were fitted to the angle, convex in front, 

 and having on the side at the top a semicircular aperture. In general, the nest is open 

 at the top, when not fastened under a beam or in a corner, iScc." — Henry \V. Hadfield ; 

 Elgin, N, B., August 26, 1858. 



Extraordinary Variety of the Common Nightjar. — Under the above heading 

 (Zool. 5278) I recorded the occurrence, in July, 1856, of two most singular varieties of 

 the nightjar, a bird that rarely varies in plumage: these specimens, which were young 

 birds of that season, were killed near Holt, in this county; and singularly enough, a 

 few days since, an adult bird exactly resembling the above, except in age, was shot in 

 the same nei<^hbourhood. I am not aware that any pied specimens of this species were 

 observed in that district in the summer of 1857, but it would almost appear from this 

 circumstance that one of the original pied brood had escaped destruction, and returned 

 in an adult state to its old quarters. This specimen had the throat, breast, belly and 

 vent with the wings and three middle tail-feathers pure white. — H, Stevenson; 

 "Norwich, September 7, 1858. 



Note on the Late Nesting of the Wood Pigeon, — Both the wood pigeon and the stock 

 dove often nest very late in the year, as an instance of which, in the case of the wood 

 pigeon, I may mention that my son found one of these birds this morning, sitting on 

 two eggs in a nest built in a thorn tree in my park. — /. H, Gurney ; Catton Hall, 

 Norwich, September 10, 1858. 



The Red Grouse and the Willow Grouse. — With reference to my late communication, 

 touching the identity of our red grouse with the Norwegian willow grouse (Zool. 6209), 

 I think two out of the three difficulties raised by Mr. Newman can be explained in a 

 satisfactory manner. Mr. Newman's first objection, i;^-^. that " the willow grouse turns 

 white in winter, in the same manner as the ptarmigan, whereas the red grouse, although 

 inhabiting the same districts, exhibits no such tendency," is, I think, easily explained 

 by the fact of the red grouse in this country never having to experience the same 

 severity of climate that the willow grouse has to endure in Norway. That the ptarmigan 

 in Scotland turns white in the winter -time is perhaps accounted for by the supposition 

 that it inhabits mountain regions higher than those frequented by the red grouse. I 

 am not sure, however, that I am correct in this supposition, but it is a matter easily 

 ascertained. Secondly, Mr. Newman says the wings of the willow grouse are always 

 white, those of the red grouse never. However reluctant I am to offer an opinion at 

 variance with so great an authority, I trust he will pardon me for thinking he is 

 incorrect here. The wings of the willow grouse which I flushed in the Dovrefjelds 

 were certainly not white, but of a light tawny-brown colour (so far as I can recollect 

 about the same colour as the back of the land rail). I am sorry I did not examine the 

 wings of the specimens in the Christiana Museum more closely, but my present im- 

 pression is that those in the summer plumage had not the wings white, but more or less 

 mixed with brown, like the rest of the body. Had the wings been entirely white (as 

 Mr. Newman suggests) I should surely have noticed the peculiarity. On this point, 

 however, I will not be cerlain, for the wings might possibly have been concealed more 

 or less by the bringing forward of the shoulder feathers. The third objection (that 

 the beak of the willow grouse is much stronger than that of the red grouse), is a serious 

 one, no doubt, and if correct entirely upsets my speculations on the subject, as it may 

 fairly be regarded as a specific character. When comparing specimens of the willow 

 grouse with the ptarmigan in the Christiana Museum, the smallness of the beak of 



