Page:The Zoologist, 1st series, vol 4 (1846).djvu/45

Rh (Anthus Richardi), was shot on our Town Moor on the 9th inst. — ''Thos. John Bold;'' 42, Bigg Market, Newcastle-on-Tyne.

Migration of the Swallow. — A swallow was shot close to our house at Exley about a month since, which on being examined, was found to have a piece of parchment fastened to one of its legs with this inscription on it, — "I. Rovina, Barcelona," and on the reverse, "March 30th, 1845." — Francis Richardson; Halifax, October 22nd, 1845.

Anecdote of a Robin. — A robin has lately been amusing himself here after the man- ner of the wagtails, mentioned in the Zoologist, (Zool. 136, 230, 566, 940, &c.) While busy setting some recent entomological captures, my attention was arrested by something dashing against the window of a small room adjoining that in which I sat. Enquiring into the cause of the racket, I observed a male redbreast fly from the win- dow, uttering his notes of anger and defiance. He returned in a few minutes, and dashed furiously against the window glass, striking it with his bill and feet simul- taneously ; this he repeated several times and then retreated to the top of an adjoining wall, where he sung loud notes of triumph, after which, however, he renewed his imaginary contest, and kept it up at intervals for nearly three days, by which time he had apparently come to the conclusion, either that he had vanquished his foe, or that his efforts were of no avail, as I have seen nothing of him since. The well known pugnacity of the bird, with the peculiar bearing of the individual in question, convinced me that he believed he was combatting another male bird, instead of the reflected image of his own bright eyes and orange breast. The same explanation will scarcely, however, in all instances, apply to the wagtails, as in that mentioned by M. Julien Deby, the bird continued his attacks after the glass was so besmeared with mud, that all reflection was out of the question, still the fresh recollection of the supposed enemy, might have induced the pertinacity of the conflict. — R.F. Logan; Hawthornbrae, Duddingston, Edinburgh, October 14th, 1845.

Brambling near Ross and anecdote of a Robin. — I yesterday saw two or three speci- mens of brambling (Fringilla Montifringilla), near Pool Cottage, Dewchurch, Here- fordshire, the first instance I have observed since I have resided in this county of their appearance in it. The following is an instance of remarkable tameness in a robin ; I was sitting in a room with a blazing wood fire, when my attention was attracted by two or three taps at the window opposite the fire-place, which I found were caused by a robin. T opened the window and in a few minutes the bird flew direct into the room, and after surveying the different parts of it, commenced feeding on the flies in the window ; I put some crumbs on the floor and he almost directly began to feed on them and then commenced singing ; he staid in the room about twenty minutes and then took his departure, having shewn no signs of fear and affording myself and others much pleasure. — Robert M. Lingwood ; Lyston, near Ross.

The Nightingale in Monmouthshire. — Mr. Yarrell in his 'History of British Birds' limits the westward range of the nightingale in this country to Barnstaple, in North Devon, and adds that it has not been heard in Wales. I believe that all mo- dern Ornithologists concur in this opinion, but I do not by any means think it impos- sible that upon further inquiry it will be found erroneous. If true, it is certainly a curious fact, that the bird should confine itself even to the modern arbitrary division of counties, for it certainly is to be found plentifully in Monmouthshire as I know from personal experience, having heard the woods on the banks of the Wye, about Tintern