Page:The Zoologist, 3rd series, vol 1 (1877).djvu/279

Rh signs of captivity, or some private markings about the bird, the presumption should be that it was "a bonâ fide traveller." And private markings have sometimes upset the reputation of specimens of birds which are generally admitted as British visitants without any question. We have known a Welsh Rough-legged Buzzard proved in this manner to be only an importation and subsequent escape. When one meets a Parrakeet, a Whidah-bird, or a Canary in its yellow plumage at large, it is justly concluded, from sufficient grounds, that these must in some manner have escaped from their cages; but with birds which are not commonly kept in confinement and which might without any very great difficulty wander to these shores, in the lack of proof to the contrary, one would be disposed to pronounce them wild birds and not escapes. Purple Gallinules have occurred several times in this country, as your editorial note informs us. Mr. J.H. Gurney, jun., has been good enough to acquaint me that the Norfolk example is the Green-backed Gallinule, Porphyrio smaragdonotus, a North-African species, and that the Irish specimen, which, through the kindness of Mr. J. Marshall has been added to my collection, is the Martinique Gallinule, which differs from the Purple Gallinule of South Europe in its somewhat smaller size. If all these Purple Gallinules are escapes, is it probable that none of the owners would have advertised the loss from their aviaries of so valuable a bird, and thus have furnished proof of the fact? I shall not hesitate to admit the Serin Finch, the Calandra Lark, and the Purple Gallinule in my 'Birds of the S.W. Peninsula,' any more than I should feel disposed to close its pages against the Hawk Owl, White's Thrush, or the Yellow-billed Cuckoo.— (The Vicarage, Bishop's Lydeard).

—Having had an opportunity of examining the Porphyrio killed at Tatterford in October last, and mentioned at page 228 of the current volume of the 'Zoologist,' I think it well to mention that it is not a specimen of P. hyacinthinus, but of the nearly allied P. smaragdonotus; and I think it would be desirable that the other British-killed Porphyrias which have been referred to P. hyacinthinus should be carefully examined, with the view of ascertaining whether any of these examples are also in reality referable to P. smaragdonotus. The latter species is readily distinguishable from P. hyacinthinus by the greener tints of its plumage, especially on the back: it is a South African species, but it also inhabits Lower Egypt, as recorded by my son in his 'Rambles of a Naturalist,' p. 186. I may add that the Tatterford bird shows no signs whatever of having been kept in confinement.— (Northepps Hall, Norwich).

—During the past winter countless numbers of Starlings have been roosting every night in a wood on the left bank of the Liffey, about half-way between Lucan and Dublin. On