ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTE. 



299 



Curious site for Missel Thrush's Nest.— On the 23rd of May, 



1875, I met with a nest of the Missel Thrush {Tnrdus viscivorus) on the top of a 

 wall in Gateup Gill, with four eggs, on which the bird was sitting. There were 

 not many trees near, the nearest clump being about a mile away. On another 

 occasion, in Nidderdale, I saw several partly-built nests on the tops of the walls, 

 though a clump of trees was not far off.— J. Ingleby, Eavestone, near Ripon, 

 April 7th, 1885. 



Hawfinch and Water Rail near Boston Spa, Yorkshire.— 



The Rev. J. Chaloner tells me that he ' was at Healaugh Manor ' the previous day 

 (May I Ith), ' and while there one of Mr. Brooksbank's sons caught a hen Hawfinch 

 [Coccothrmistes vulgaris] hopping on the grass plot. This is only the second 

 instance of that bird being seen about here, within my knowledge.' The Water 

 Rail {Ralhts aqiiaticiis) is breeding here at Boston Spa this year, and bred here last 

 year also.— John Emmet, Boston Spa, July 13th, 1885. 



Curious death of a Swift. — Last year, at Thorp Arch Station, a 

 Swift {Cypselus apns) flew violently against the telegraph wire, and so injured 

 itself about the eyes and bill, that it had to be destroyed. Similar cases have 

 occurred elsewhere, and Science Gossip relates several in the March number of this 

 year. — John Emmet, Boston Spa, Tadcaster, March 20th, 1885. 



Wild Fowl in Cumberland. — I know no greater pleasure than to 

 spend a few early hours, on a spring morning, upon a tarn frequented by wild fowl. 

 Both on the 31st and to-day I visited a preserved sheet of water and studied the 

 birds, and scribbled until my fingers were frozen by the cold wind. On both days 

 I found the Tufted Duck, Goldeneye, Mallard, and Shoveller ; and to-day I dis- 

 turbed some Teal and Wigeon. To-day there were four male Shovellers on the 

 water within view of me at one moment. — H. A. Macpherson, Carlisle, April 

 9th, 1885. 



Lapwing's Nest with Five Eggs.— On May 15th of last year I was 

 shown the nest of a Lapwing ( Vanellus vulgaris)^ containing five eggs, by a farmer 

 named Joseph Bell, who said that such an occurrence had not come under his 

 notice before; but Mr. Kirk by, on the adjoining farm, remembers such an occur- 

 rence taking place, though some years ago. — Wm. Storey, Pateley Bridge, April 

 loth, 1885. 



Curlews in the Solway District.— On the morning of Sunday, 

 March 1st, of the present year, I was greatly interested in observing straggling pairs 

 of Curlews {Numejiius arquata) flying at considerable altitude across the Solway 

 Firth from the direction of Kirkcudbright, apparently on their way to the uplands 

 of Cumberland for breeding purposes. These flights continued regularly for ten 

 ^ days or a fortnight. If Scotch bred birds, surely suitable breeding places might 

 be found nearer home, or possibly the Curlews so seen were originally reared in 

 Cumberland, and had simply crossed the Firth during winter in search of better 

 feeding stations about the estuary of the Dee. — W. Hodgson, Flimby, Maryport, 

 April 24th, 1885. 



Little Auk (Mergulus alle) near Tadcaster in July.— As I 



was following the reaper in one of my grass fields on Thursday last, the i6th inst., 

 I found a Little Auk which had apparently been dead several days. I fancy very 

 few of them have been seen in this part of the country. — ^J. Chaloner, Newton 

 Kyme, near Tadcaster, Yorkshire, July i8th, 1885. 



[The occurrence of this species outside the Arctic Circle during the breeding 

 season is very remarkable, and is believed to be unprecedented, at least so far as 

 the British Isles are concerned. It breeds nowhere on the European continent, in 

 fact, its summer range is restricted to Spitzbergen, Novaya Zemlia, Grimsey 

 (North of Iceland), and Greenland. It is a winter visitant to the British seas, and 

 occasionally occurs far inland after severe gales. — W. E. C] 



Aug. 1885. 



