342 Correspondence. 
Correspondence. 
LA'I-K M'„SJ1\(, (II- MKI-.F1.\( HlCS. 
Si!,--It n:;;> bi; oi' intClC'S^ to siinie, if I stale that two younif Fire- 
finches lelt ihc iicsl litis niDtniiif;, and arc riiie strung birds. I'o iiie 't 
is of iiKue than \isiial inlercst. as tlieii Irmale p.ircnl died '.en lavs a.u;i) 
and flic njalc liini has rtaicil them iuiass;s;ed l)y mealw.irms or otiicr 
live-food cf any kind. i may alsij stale that the aviary is an outdoor one, 
though very sheltered.. an<l the haeU of kitchi-n chi iin y forms the back 
wall o) sheltei -.shed. Ha\-ing got thus far, I am li )])iiig ihey may reach 
niaiuiiiy 
Oxford 6/11 "15. G. E. HAGGIE. 
BIRDS IN THE FIRl .\G-I IxNE. 
Sir, — I am sending a few stray notes on the bird-life out here, which 
I tliought, might jirove interesting t.) rea.leri of "B.\." 
Sepi 15. — Magpies a])]5ear \ er\ common in tl.i-. nei,h!) urhood (Be'- 
gium I. They are usually seen in small p.iriies of two to five. i',xc\ Wagtails 
are more often met with than the Pied species. Reed Buntings and .ilso 
Yf:!lo\v Buntings are quite common, especially t!ie former. Otli.T Finches 
(with the exception of 1 fee-, and House-Sf)arrow.-> j are conspijuoas by their 
absence. House Swallows anrl Sand Martins are still with us. Of the 
many FJnglish birds of the country-sid;:, I have sce.i Black'. irds. Song Thrashes; 
Blue ji.ni' Great Tits, Rol>ins, Hedge .Accentors and occasionally a Missel 
Thrush or two. But. nowhere are they in such numbers as one sees .it 
home, except Starlir.gs and House Sparrows, and th?se swinrr. 
Oct 10. — -About twelve miles further south. Here there are num- 
bers of Jays as well as Magpies; the forincr, however, ari' very wild. I 
hav^ seen several Common Wrens in the undergrowth round the pond, 
where the horses are watered. I have also heard the Green \\'oodpecker. 
Both, here and further norih 1 noticed a species of I. ark or Pipit .vhich J 
was uii.iblc to recognise; they were quite common, going about in parties 
of aboul twenty or so. It is about ihe sii^e of a Skylark but more stoutly 
built; the general colour is ashy-grey, with some black or dark .marking-; 
the tail is dark and there is a crest on the hciid, bhick or nearly so, 
Th'-y were rather difficult to a])proach, so ,1 more detailed description is 
not possible 
Oct. 17. — Saw several pairs of Hooded Crows, also some .Moorhens 
on a "[lond. 
This I think, comprises the birds I have met with up to the present. 
Hoping tlia* this will prove of some interest, and trusting that " B.N." is 
still flourishing. B. H.^MILTOX SCOTT. Lieut. R.F..\. 
NESTING 01' THE BL.4CK-T.A1LFI) H.AWFINCH. 
Sii —Last ycai , my pair of tophaiiu niclaniira, built two nests jncJ 
laid two clutches (three eggs each time), but only one chick resulced. 
which survived but tiiree days. 
