OFFICIAL NOTICES. 159 
agency brought it to a more speedy conclusion. Blood testified to the efficiency 
of the birds’ beaks as weapons. Little Jack is already a domestic pet. 
Roslyn, Hampstead, N. IV. G. J. Woodd. 
A Talking Canary. — I do not remember ever to have heard of a talking 
canary, and was therefore much interested recently, while staying in the little 
village of Churchill, Somerset, in hearing one. The bird belongs to a Mrs. 
Buckland, wife of a gardener living in Churchill. “Joey” came into her posses- 
sion when only six weeks old, and she, being much alone in her house, naturally 
got into the habit of constantly talking to him. When about a year old he one 
day quite suddenly, to her extreme surprise and even alarm, began to talk, and 
has talked incessantly until the present day, he being now eight years old. His 
repertoire is not extensive, consisting, of course, merely of the remarks addressed 
to him by Mrs. Buckland — “ Pretty Joey,” “ Kiss me,” “ Missus’s pretty little 
Joey” and “ I be missus’s pretty little beauty, I be.” He speaks in a beautifully 
clear, melodious trilling voice, all the words being perfectly distinct. He talked 
incessantly while I was in the room, interspersing his remarks with the usual 
canary’s song. Mrs. Buckland has been offered considerable sums both for the 
bird, and for the loan of him for exhibition, but nothing would induce her to part 
with him. He has much local celebrityt I should be interested to hear if any of 
the readers of Nature Notes know of a similar case. 
Gertrude M. Yeld. 
Rare Migrants on the East Coast.— Several rather uncommon 
visitants to this part of the Coast put in an appearance near here last month, at a 
large expanse of water called Breydon (one of the oldest “ broads,” but now a 
mere wide expanse of mud covered at high tide only, and a most excellent feeding 
ground for aquatic birds). They consisted of quite a score of black terns, a number 
of wimbrel, turnstones, knots, and smaller birds, nearly all in their summer dress. 
There were also to be seen several Arctic terns and some little stints. A cormor- 
ant put in an appearance for a short time. 
Great YarniQuth. W. B. Guisn. 
A Wren’s Nest. — Two or three summers ago a wren made her nest inside 
a letter-box fixed upon our front gate. She flew in and out through a small hole 
in the side of the box, laid ten eggs, and hatched them. Some time after I looked 
in again and they had all flown away. The next year another nest was made — we 
think it was the same bird which had returned — but, unfortunately, some boys in 
passing discovered it, and, by throwing stones inside, disturbed the poor little bird, 
who deserted it before she had laid any eggs. Another curious place for a nest 
was inside a green watering-pot, which I found in our orchard last week. The 
bird had hatched her eggs and flown. 
Barnwood, Gloucester. A. M. Jaynes. 
OFFICIAL NOTICES. 
At the meeting of the Council held on July 5th, a vote of thanks was 
passed to Lord Selborne for presiding at the luncheon, and for his interesting 
speech on the occasion of the excursion to Selborne on June 24th ; to the vicar 
of Selborne for throwing open his grounds, for affording the members the oppor- 
tunity of visiting the church and churchyard, and for permitting the archKological 
address to be given in the church ; and to Mr. and Mrs. Read for so kindly receiv- 
ing and entertaining the members of the Society, and for throwing open the house 
and grounds for their inspection. 
The Council authorised the formation of a new branch at Cheltenham (hon. 
secretary, F. W. Butt, Esq.). 
