168 
CHAPTER OF MISCELLANIES. 
ZOOLOGY. 
Anecdote of a Bullfinch.—T he sly and retiring habits of the Coalhood (or 
4f Bullfinch”) in its native haunts are well known; and a slight provocation will 
in general cause it to desert its nest before the period of incubation has com¬ 
menced. We are, however, informed, by our friend and neighbour, W. H. 
Rudston Read, Esq., of Frickley Hall, that in the early part of June, in the 
present year, a Bullfinch allowed herself to be caressed while sitting on her young 
ones, and would feed from the hand without the least fear. The nest was in a 
Laurel-bush, close to the house. It was unfortunately robbed by some biped or 
quadruped bird-nester, on the 9th of June, the very day on which we visited 
the spot with the intention of paying our respects to little Bully.—E d. 
Desiderata in Mr. Salmon’s Oological Cabinets. —[Mr. Salmon has trans_ 
mitted to us the following list of his desiderata as regards the eggs of British 
birds, stating, at the same time, that he will be happy to receive them in ex¬ 
change for such of his duplicates as may be wanting in other collections.—E d.] 
Pandion halicetus , Falco Islandicus , F. peregrinus , F. palumbarius , Pernis 
apivorus , Bubo maximus , Scops Aldrovandi , Otus vulgaris , 0. brachyotus , 
Noctua Tengmalmi , Merops apiaster , Coracias garrula, Accentor Alpinus , Meli- 
zophilus provincials, Regains ignicapillus , Parus cristatus , Loxia curvirostra , 
Picus major , P. minor , Coccyzus Americanus , Columba livia , Otis tetrax , 
Numenius phceopus, Totanus glareola , Scolopax rusticola , S. major , Phalaropus 
lobatus , Crex Baillonii , Charadrius Cantianus , C. morinellus , C. minor , Anser 
palustris , H. ferus , Cygnus ferus , C. Bewickii , Mareca Penelope , Somateria 
spectabilis , Fuligula ferina , P. cristata , Clangula vulgaris , Mergus merganser , 
Podiceps rubricollis , P. auritus , Colymbus Arcticus , H/ca impennis , Lams 
glaucus. —J. D. Salmon, Godaiming , Surrey , 26, 1838. 
The Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) migratory to a certain Extent. 
—In the autumn of 1834 a vast number of Starlings were taken up in an ex¬ 
hausted state near Scarborough Castle, where the fishermen usually dry their 
nets. Some idea may be formed of their numbers, when it is stated that almost 
every boy at the lower end of the town had caught and destroyed many of them. 
Does not this fact render it probable that the Starling is in some degree migratory ? 
—Patrick Hawkridgc, Scarborough , 7, 1837- 
Flight of “ little Owls” in Yorkshire.—M r. Rudston Read informs us 
that, some time since, from twenty to thirty “ little Owls” were seen in a Gorse- 
