CHAPTER OF VARIETIES. 



153 



feature in the above Magazine, making it a leading article therein; 

 beginning, as you would in the Linnaean system, at the order Accipi- 

 tres, giving the genus Vultur, with all the known species of that genus, 

 in succession. From thence to the genus Falco, with its different 

 species until complete ; thus completing an order, &c, until you get 

 to Picaete ; and so on, until the whole of the orders, &c, are disposed of. 

 Cuvier's " Animal Kingdom," published by Henderson, is not suffi- 

 ciently clear ; it is too brief and ill-arranged : witness the additional 

 notes and the shortness of the text. 



Old Park, Dawley, Jan. 27, 1834. PHILOAVES. 



Method of forming a rookery. — If N. N. wishes to establish a 

 rookery, and has suitable trees for them, he has only to get a nest or 

 two of young ones from some neighbouring haunt, and place it in them. 

 The old ones will find and come to feed them, and these will the fol- 

 lowing year return there to breed. A colony may thus be obtained 

 whenever he wishes one, provided there is any other establishment 

 within three or four miles of him. His host of ironical questions I will 

 not pretend to answer, especially as many of them have already been 

 so ably replied to. C. Parsons*. 



Migration of the tree sparrow (Passer arboreus).— This bird 

 is a constant winter visitant here. I have shot them repeatedly in 

 severe weather in January, intermixed with the common sparrows in 

 the farm-yards, and also with green-finches, chaffinches, and other 

 small birds in the fields ; about a fortnight ago I caught one at night 

 in a folding net in a corn-stack, when in quest of common sparrows. 

 I never saw one here in the summer months. 



I have been induced to offer these remarks in consequence of an 

 observation in your Magazine, vol. i. page 468, that the tree sparrow 

 might prove a bird of passage, and the fact of some alighting on a vessel 

 off the Suffolk coast ; but many of them certainly prefer the winter air 

 of Southchurch to a sea voyage. 



Many of the small birds perform partial Sittings from one part to 

 another, that do not come under the denomination of migratory birds ; 

 and it is only by observations and correspondence from all parts of the 

 country that these minor changes of situation can be ascertained. 



Southchurch, Feb. 8, 1834. Chris. PARSONS. 



* Other communications from our intelligent correspondent will be acceptable. 

 — Editor. 



VOL. II,— -NO. III. X 



