Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 5 (1901).djvu/290

264 some twittering. In October many Song-Thrushes begin to sing: and they don't stop, weather permitting, all the winter, but gradually attain all that excellence of variety and mimicry which makes their music as instructive as beautiful.

I beg humbly to protest, though my voice may sound as wheezy as those of Mr. Warde Fowler's female Thrushes (and I never heard such in song), against the separation of the autumn and winter singing of this species. So far as a number singing at once is concerned, emulation may have much to do with it, as it seemingly has with the sweet "chiming" of Willow-Wrens, and the musical rivalry of Robins.

For how much longer (and why) shall we continue to deny to the Thrush and other such songsters an artistic sense and love of their art—a sense which induces a marvellous variety when a dull repetition would seem as effective, and a love which leads to study hour by hour and day by day?— (St. George's Place, Cheltenham).

The Occurrence of the Red-throated Pipit (Anthus cervinus) in Ireland.—When I was on the west coast of Ireland, on May 26th, 1895, I found, on a lonely mountain side in Co. Mayo, a Pipit which at the very first glance I was satisfied was quite new to me, being distinct in appearance to any Pipit I had ever seen before. The bird perched on a spray of a whin-bush, and looked full face at me, not more than fifteen yards away. The general outline of the bird, its buffish chestnut throat, extending also to sides of head and breast, and bold black-looking stripes on neck and breast, were so striking, that I was at once convinced that there was something new in front of me, and secured the bird. At that time I had never seen an identified skin of Anthus cervinus, and the only plate that of Bree ('Birds of Europe,' vol. ii. p. 155), which misled me somewhat, as he figures an adult male bird without much striping on neck and breast; and, being busy at the time of my return, the result was that my bird was placed away in a cabinet for future identification and overlooked, until I secured the autumn-plumaged specimen which was shot at St. Leonards, and identified by Dr. Bowdler Sharpe (ante, 1896, p. 101). An examination of this bird, and the investigation I then made, at once suggested to me what my own specimen was. I sent my bird at that time for identification to a gentleman who then did not fully confirm my views, stating only that it was a "queer specimen," which disconcerted me, as I was convinced from descriptions I had read that my bird must be A. cervinus; later, however, he has agreed with me, after another examination of the bird. My specimen is a male, and, according to Seebohm's excellent descriptions ('British Birds,' vol. ii. pp. 228–232), is in the second year's plumage, which is much worn and abraded, the tail especially showing signs of wear and tear, and would undoubtedly have been moulted that season.