Page:The Zoologist, 1st series, vol 4 (1846).djvu/334

1500 were strong enough to fly away, with the exception of two which had died. Many readers of the 'Zoologist' will be better able than I am to form an opinion whether the circumstances related, at all favour the views of those who advocate the hyberna- tion of diflferent birds, but I think they prove that birds of the swallow tribe do occa- sionally congregate for the special object of warmth, and I would suggest that like circumstances have probably given rise to that idea. — T. Catchpool, Jun., Colchester.

Note on a White Swallow. — On Tuesday last, a swallow perfectly white, was shot at Stoke Holy Cross. — The Universe, September 18th, 1846.

Is the tumbling of Pigeons a natural or acquired habit? — A short time since, while sitting in the garden with a little boy about six years of age, his attention was attracted by some pigeons which repeatedly flew over, and amongst them were some "tumblers," these more particularly caught his notice, from their characteristic habit of turning over in the air, and he said "Papa, are pigeons taught to do so?" I answered on the instant "No, it is a habit natural to a particular kind of pigeon, known as "tumblers." Thinking it over since, I have doubted how far my reply was correct, and should be glad if any of your various correspondents would give, through your columns, a reply to the child's query, more satisfactory than the one I gave has proved to my own mind. If our various kinds of dove-house, or domestic pigeon, are all (as has been supposed) descended from the wild pigeons of the wood and forest, it is a subject of curious enquiry, how this " tumbling " propensity was generated ? or whether it has ever been noticed in any of the free-born inmates of the "Woodland Wild ?"—E.R. Foster; Camberwell.

Note on the Pheasant. — About the middle of the last summer, the occupants of a farm-house in the adjoining hamlet of Kermincham, were much surprised one day to see a fine cock pheasant strutting about with the hens in the yard, and apparently as much at home, as any of his domesticated companions. In the evening he retired to the woods to roost, and made his appearance again in the morning by daybreak, and this was carried on with great regularity for several months ; in fact, I am not certain whether his visits have yet been discontinued. There was no reason to suppose that the bird had escaped from confinement. The farmer informed me that he was fre- quently seen in coitu with the hens, but the eggs were invariably barren. — T.W. Barlow.

Occurrence of the Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Tringa rufescens), at Penzance. — I am enabled to add the above rare Tringa to our Cornish fauna, by the capture of one on the sands between this place and Marazion on the 3rd inst. The bird was flying in company with dunlins and ring plovers, and was killed with several of the above birds. The plumage of the bird seems to agree so entirely with Mr. Yarrell's specimen (which was obtained at the same period of the year) that it would be unnecessarily fill- ing your pages to enter into a full description of its plumage. The specific characters which distinguish this species from the other species of the family, are clearly defined in the under surface of the wings. — Edward Hearle Rodd; Penzance, Cornwall, September 19th, 1846.

Occurrence of Sabine's Snipe near Clonmel. — I have just received a specimen of Sabine's snipe; it was shot on the 31st of last month in a bog near New Birmingham, about sixteen miles from this place by J, Morton, Esq., of this town. It was in company with a common snipe, and rose with it ; its cry was similar to that of the common, and but for which cry it would have escaped, being on first rising mistaken for a water-