112 
MISCELLANY 
the thief slinking away to another tree, screaming pitifully, and pursued a 
considerable way by the enraged Thrush. During the present year we noticed 
a Jay driven from a Hawthorn-bush by a small Finch, but could not distinguish 
the species on account of the distance. On another occasion, at four o’clock on 
the morning of July 4, of the present year, a Missel Thrush was seen pursuing 
a Carrion Crow (likewise an egg-destroyer) through the air; but the dusky 
rogue appeared to take the matter much more coolly than the poor cowardly 
Jays.— Ed. 
Aporus bicolor. —Mr. Shuckard mentions this insect as a variety. I have 
a pair which I took on Parley Heath about twelve years ago; and I believe I 
took last year A. unicolor , which would appear from his work to be doubtful as 
British. If not unicolor , perhaps it is a black variety of the former.—J. C. Dale, 
Glanville s-Wootton , Dorsetshire , June 9, 1837. 
Change of Colour in the Common Fowl. —It will be recollected by many 
of our readers, that we mentioned, last year, a cock and hen belonging to Mr. 
Martin, of Londesbro’, near Market-Weighton. We have this week seen the 
male bird, who has again changed the colour of his coat, and is now a most 
beautiful yellow and white. It was first black, then fine light brown, afterwards 
black and white, then pure white, and is now yellow and white. The hen has 
not this year altered much, but is evidently changing to yellow. They are 
brother and sister, and of the pure game kind.— Yorkshireman , July G, 1839.— 
[[The colour of the hair in Man is known to change in consequence of violent 
excitement of the passions, and a similar cause has the same effect on the 
coverings of the lower animals. We have known a game cock—a celebrated 
fighter—change colour several times in the course of a few years, being sometimes 
white, and then of the usual colour in this variety of the fowl.— Ed. NatJ\ 
Flight of Birds. —Mr. Cartwright, who lived in a desolate region, computed 
the rate at which certain wild Ducks flew to be ninety miles an hour. The 
celebrated Spallanzani found, by experience, that a Swallow flew from Bologna 
to Modena, a distance of twenty miles; in thirteen minutes; and he affirms that 
the Common Swift can fly sixty miles in half an hour. 
A Sportsman’s Warning. —Permit an old sportsman to recommend all game- 
keepers and gentlemen who are fond of field sports, to be on the alert, as young 
Pheasants and Partridges are just coming out of their nests; let our friends get 
their ammunition in order, and destroy .all Kites, Hawks, Crows, Magpies, and 
Jays—birds of prey are all ready to pounce upon them and carry them off. I have 
seen Crows as well as Hawks carry the young birds away in their claws.— 
J. E. W., Western Times , June 29, 1839.—[Unless J. E. W. intend to destroy 
the Rats, Weasels, Polecats, and other fourfooted “ vermin,” he will find but little 
advantage accrue from making war on the birds he mentions.— Ed. NatJ\ 
