62 
THE NATURALISTS’ JOURNAL. 
two killed at Standish Park, near Stroud, by T. Butcher Esq. 
We have had but three little owls : one killed by myself in Sandy 
Lane, Charlton, near Cheltenham, and sold to John Rock, Esq., 
Newcastle-on-Tyne, in the flesh ; one killed at Ulingwood, near 
Birdlip, while the other was shot on Lord Sherborn’s estate by J. 
Cambrey, keeper. We have had only one Tengmalm’s owl ; it 
was killed by the keeper at Miserden Park ; we preserved it for — 
Lyons, Esq., who lived at Miserden Park then and gave it to Mr. 
Duebery, of Cheltenham. The mottled* and hawk owls are quite 
strangers to us in the flesh ; we have not had a specimen. 
Great shrikes are not very common here, but we mostly get 
one or two every season. The red-backed shrike is very common 
with us. The woodchat shrike we find very rare here ; we have 
had only two—one killed at Shurdington by Mr. Theyers, a 
farmer, and the other at Badgeworth by a labouring man who 
was employed by Mr. Oakey, farmer. I heard that a boy from 
Cheltenham College found a nest of these birds with one egg this 
last season, but I have not seen it myself. 
Cheltenham. G. ]. White. 
In reply to a letter from me asking for further information 
concerning the “black-winged kites ” mentioned in the October 
No. (page 45) Mr. White writes as follows :—“ In answer to vours, 
the black-winged kites that were killed near White’s Hill we had 
to preserve for Mr. Barnett, who undertook to get them preserved 
for Mr. Phipps who lived at Kite’s Nest Earm ; I believe he was 
a solicitor ; it was about thirty years ago. This pair of birds 
was very much smaller than the common kites, with black wings ; 
head, necky and breast, silvery grey; belly white, and tail a little 
forked. The one brought to us alive was one of the same kind.” 
This is clear evidence that the birds must have been really Elanus 
ccBruleus and the circumstances attending the capture of the pair 
mentioned seem to prove that they were undoubtedly wild birds, 
yet how is it that none of these specimens have ever come 
under notice of one of our ornithological authorities ? One of 
the latest workers, Mr. Howard Saunders, for instance, does not 
admit it to the British list and only mentions the Meath example 
said to have been shot about i86z,f but observes that “it was 
unrecognized for ten 'years, and the evidence is not wholly 
satisfactory.” Perhaps it is still possible, however, to trace one 
of the above specimens, and I am therefore endeavouring to 
obtain information as to their present ownership. 
Mr. White also writes as follows in reference to the swallow¬ 
tailed kite mentioned by him (page 46): — “ The swallow-tailed 
* Screech owl. —Ed. 
f It is significant that Mr. White’s specimens were obtained about this 
same date. — H. K. S. 
