THE NATURALIST. 
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VOL. IV., NO. XXXI.—APRIL, 1839. 
ORNITHOLOGICAL SELECTIONS AND CRITICISMS. 
By William Leslie Russell, Esq. 
I have noticed with pleasure, Mr. Editor, the manner in which you encourage 
all, even the least experienced, of your readers, to note down observations in the 
fields. Perhaps the following selections from various writers, with occasional 
remarks of my own, may interest some of your subscribers. If so, I shall be 
very happy to continue them; and trust that other abler naturalists may be 
induced to adopt a similar plan in your pages. The undertaking involves no 
great expense of time or labour, and requires but little learning or ability. 
Premising that you are at liberty to make any alterations you may think fit, I 
proceed with my task, and hope to receive the free but candid corrections of your 
more erudite correspondents should I fall into error on any point. 
In the Magazine of Natural History , Vol. I., p. 496, a correspondent justly 
comments on the query of “J. R.” (Mr. Rennie ?), whether the Robin Redbreast 
would incubate eggs not her own. “ J. R.” ought to have known, says “ M.,” 
that though Redbreasts, as well as other birds, will forsake their eggs and nests, 
if disturbed in the early part of the season, or while they are laying, they seldom 
do so after they have begun to sit. Another writer observes that he was in the 
habit of taking a Redbreast from its nest in his hand, and showing it to visitors, 
and that it did not desert. In addition to this I have to state that I have 
frequently caught Redbreasts on their eggs after they have begun to sit , without 
their deserting. I have likewise taken that notoriously timid bird, the lovely 
Kingfisher, in the same manner, and with a similar result. 
In the Linncean Transactions , Vol. XV., it is recorded, on the authority of 
Mr. Scales, of Beechamwell, that the Stock Dove ( Columba cenas) breeds on the 
warren, in the old Rabbit-burrows. He describes the eggs as being much rounder, 
and smaller, than those of the Ring Dove. When the warreners find the young 
in a burrow, they fix sticks at the mouth of the hole in such a manner as to 
prevent the escape of the young, but to allow the old birds td feed them; and 
vol. iv.— no. xxxi. 2 t 
