Quadrupeds — Birds. 



6309 



Weasel carnjing its Young. — On the 18th of September I saw a weasel run across 

 the road, with a young one in its mouth, apparently about a month old. I write these 

 particulars as I think it is not generally known that weasels do so carry their young 

 ones. — Iloivard Fox ; Falmouth, October 13, L858. 



Occurrence of Crossbills in Yorkshire. — Last week nine crossbills (L, curvirostra) 

 were killed, out of a flock of eleven, about nine miles above Richmond. They had 

 constantly frequented the fir plantation in which they were killed, since last February, 

 and had they remained undisturbed T think it quite possible that they would have 

 bred there this winter. — H. Smurthwaite ; Bank, Richmond, Yorkshire, November 2, 

 1858. 



Remarkable Anecdote of the Cuckoo. — At the village of Tickenhall, in Derbyshire, 

 lime is procured for agricultural purposes, which, of course, every time it is blasted 

 makes a great noise. Notwithstanding all the noise and bustle attendant upon the 

 operations of procuring it, a small bird built its nest close by a bush which grew upon 

 a rough bank. The egg of a cuckoo was laid in it in due time, and eventually hatched. 

 The young cuckoo did not seem at all frightened by what was going on around it. 

 When fully fledged, a friend of mine took it, and gave it to his little boy to make a 

 pet of. It lived upon eggs, caterpillars, flies, insects of various kinds, and raw beef, 

 and throve remarkably well. It was pinioned, and allowed to roam about the orchards 

 and neighbouring fields, and grew tame. One day, however, it was missing, and was 

 away a whole month. It was found, however, within a few fields of the house, and, 

 singular to say, several little wild birds were in the act of feeding it. The operation 

 was watched for some time with much interest. It seems very remarkable that having 

 been in partial confinement for perhaps three weeks or a month, the birds should feed 

 it. It would almost lead one to think that in the cuckoo existed something peculiar 

 and attractive which induced other birds to take it under their protection. — John 

 Joseph Briggs in ' The Field.^ 



The Creamcoloured Courser in Hackney Marshes. — I am indebted to Mr. Cooper, 

 of No. 28, Radnor Street, St. Luke's, for sending me, in the flesh, a very perfect 

 female specimen of that rare bird the Cursorius isabellinus of naturalists. It was shot 

 in the Hackney Marshes, on the 19th of October, by Mr. George Beresford, of the 

 White House Fishery. The bird was exceedingly tame, probably tired with a long 

 flight. The last recorded instance of the occurrence of this bird in Britain is in the 

 ' Zoologist' for 1855 (Zool. 4913). The specimen was shot by Mr. Walter Langton, 

 on East Down, Salisbury Plain, on the 2nd of October, 1855. Mr. Langton was 

 following a wild covey of partridges which had pitched on the open down, when his 

 dogs stood at this bird ; it rose, flew about a hundred yards, and settled again. He 

 followed it, and finally shot it on the ground. The late Mr. Yarrell saw and handled 

 the bird in the flesh ; I had the same pleasure. Mr. Cooper will be pleased to show 

 his more recent specimen to any gentleman who inclines to call on him at the above 

 address. — Edivard Neicman in ' The Field! 



Appearance of Skuas o/f the Coast of Yarmouth. — During the past month, several 

 fine specimens of the common skua, mostly in adult plumage, have been killed off 

 Yarmouth, as well as six specimens of Richardson's and one pomarine skua. Of 

 Richardson's skuas three were in the immature plumuge of the second year, an uniform 



