Page:The Zoologist, 1st series, vol 4 (1846).djvu/384

1550 April 21st. Whinchat, Kennet, Suffolk.

23rd. Dotterel, Newmarket, Cambridgeshire.

27th. Lesser Whitethroat, Stetchworth.

27th. Red-backed Shrike, Stetchworth.

29th. Cuckoo, Stetchworth.

May 7th. Turtle-dove, Elden.

8th. Swift, Thetford, Norfolk.

20th. Gray Flycatcher, Stetchworth.

The above were kept by myself and friend, W. Lloyd, Esq., to whom I am indebted for many pieces of information on the subject of birds in general. I have only recorded the earliest ascertained arrivals at whatever place they might happen to be. By the ring ousel being in the list, it must not be supposed that it is an annual visiter to these parts, on the contrary, with the exception of one, mentioned by Mr. Salmon to have been shot at Brandon ; this is the only one I ever heard of being seen hereabouts : it was seen in the garden here, but before a gun could be procured, it had taken its flight.—Alfred Newton; Elden.

Kestrel preying on a Rat. — I killed a young female kestrel on the 30th of last month, and found in its stomach the remains of a rat ; one of its hind legs had been swallowed whole and was quite perfect, appearing by its size to have belonged to a full- grown one. Not having seen it mentioned in any work on Ornithology that the kes- trel ever feeds on rats, I thought this fact might prove interesting to some of your read- ers. Gamekeepers and other persons who destroy this bird, from the belief that it kills young game, should consider that vermin is its chief food, and that if it is now and then guilty of feasting on a young partridge, it far more than counterbalances the mis- chief it does, by the quantity of vermin which it destroys.—Nicholas Cooke; Hope Mills, Harrington, November 13th, 1846.

Occurrence of the Hooded Crow near Stourbridge. — I have this morning received a a specimen of the hooded crow, killed in the preserve of J. H. H. Foley, Esq., of Prestwood, near Stourbridge, Worcestershire ; what should entice so rare a bird into this district we are at a loss to know. — W. Birch; November 18th, 1846.

White Starling and curious facts respecting Starlings' Eggs. — I lately saw, at Blaby in Leicestershire, a white starling. It was found in a nest containing other young ones of the ordinary colour, and taken to my friend, Mr. John Clarke, who tried to rear it; but he thought it had been injured by its captors, as it did not live many days. The colour is much purer than is usual with birds which are called white vari- eties. This summer the Rev. E. A. Giraud, Fellow of Dulwich College, found on the lawn of their garden a starling's egg on six successive mornings, all of which were deposited within an area of two square yards. It is well known that a bird will drop an egg in almost any place, if its nest has been taken before the full number of eggs has been deposited, but the preceeding is a most extraordinary occurrence—William Turner; Uppingham, Oct. 6th, 1846.

Occurrence of a Swallow new to Britain at Uppingham. — A little bird of the swal- low tribe has come into my hands, which I do not at all know. It was rather badly shot in the head and neck, but I skinned it as carefully as I could, and I think it suffi- ciently perfect for accurate description. And if the following general account induce you to think it anything new, I shall be most happy to lend it you for the purpose of being figured and described in the 'Zoologist.' Weight, less than an ounce ; throat, belly, vent, and rump smoke-coloured, all the rest black ; back and wing-coverts glossy,