Page:The Zoologist, 1st series, vol 4 (1846).djvu/336

1502 measured three feet, nine inches in length, and six feet in extent of wing. The black swan was for many ages considered fabulous, but is by no means "Rara avis in terris;" it is a native of Australia, where it abounds in the rivers and lakes, and on various islands on the coast, and is usually seen in flocks, which are very shy and watchful. Of late years this bird has been introduced into our island, where it thrives and breeds. The whole plumage is black, with the exception of the primary quills and a few of the secondaries, which are white, but are obscured by the tertials, which are curled, and hang plume-like over them ; the bill is bright red, crossed by a whitish band near the nail, the irides are red, nostrils pervious, tongue slightly ciliated, trachea simple, and enters the breast in a straight line. The above specimen is tastefully stuffed by Mr. Stirling, of St. Andrew's, and we understand that Mr. Philp intends to place the bird in the collection of the Library and Antiquarian Society of that city. — Scotsman.

[A correspondent informs me that fifty or sixty years ago, i.e. before the black swan was brought here from Australia, a man who lived at Keswick, near Norwich, who was employed by the late Mr. Richard Gurney, and who never could have heard of the Australian swan, saw, what he always asserted to have been a flock of black swans; he followed them a long way with his gun, but was unable to kill any. — E.N.]

Occurrence of the Little Auk near Downham, in Norfolk. — An adult specimen of the little auk was obtained near this town during the second week of July. It was in an extremely emaciated condition when taken. — C.B. Hunter; Downham, Norfolk, August 23rd, 1846.

Stormy Petrel in London in 1824.— My father had a specimen of the stormy petrel brought to him, which had been found alive in the Old Street Road. — Thomas Hall; 7, City Road.

The effect of captivity on the appetite of Birds. — "The want of exercise, &c. and the change of habit, altogether tend to change the very nature of the stomach, and to cause it to accommodate itself to aliment which it would never touch in a wild state." This very veritable assertion Waterton makes in the second series of his ' Essays,' whilst refuting the general carnivorous nature of the squirrel. I have three birds, which prove the aforesaid assertion ; my daw will eat, with great apparent zest, pickles of various sorts, cucumbers, cauliflowers, &c. all hot and spicy, both he and the magpie are especially fond of spiced gingerbread, and my windhover hawk will eat boiled mutton and raw fish, (but cares little for his more natural food of snails and slugs), all of which things, each would doubtless reject un tasted in a wild state ; my magpie too will catch and kill mice with surprising agility, and eat them afterwards, bury- ing the superfluity. I know a parrot also that will eat salt bacon like a plough-boy, and his natural food is seeds and fruits. — H. Daniels; Exeter, September 21st, 1846.

Birds at Sea. — A very intelligent person, whose life has chiefly been spent at sea informs me, that he has occasionally seen birds on his voyages. Once, when mid-way in the British Channel a pied wagtail (M. alba) settled upon deck, which was caught. When on a voyage to India, and far out at sea, a sparrow-hawk came and settled on the rigging. A boy was sent up for it by the captain, but after he had laid hold of the bird, it clutched him so severely with its talons, that he left his hold and the bird es- caped. In ten minutes afterwards, the hawk again came and settled on the rigging. The captain then sent up the boy with some biscuit, which the poor bird ate most greedily, although so different to his usual food. He was afterwards caught and kept