Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 5 (1901).djvu/453

Rh I heard the Willow-Warbler last April in the same spot—a mere oasis in the desert of smoke-blackened houses. The Willow-Warbler also is well known to sing in the autumn, but here too the same remark holds good as in the case of the Chiffchaff, for the song is soft and subdued, and lacks the energy of the bird's spring notes. I have often, when listening to the Chiffchaff's song in the autumn, noticed it to sing, as it were, with a stammer, uttering a succession of hesitating cheeping notes. Sometimes it has seemed to me as though it were trying to sing like a Willow-Warbler, but after repeated attempts always came back to its own "cheep-cheep." These syllables more nearly represent the autumn notes, to my mind, than the words "chiff-chaff."— (17, Selwyn Road, Birmingham).

Richard's Pipit (Anthus richardi) in North Wales.—In connection with my work on the fauna of North Wales, I have recently had lent to me a MS. note-book kept by Dr. J.W. Moses, a medical man, who resided at St. Asaph from 1839 onwards. Amongst numerous local notes on natural history the following occurs:—"1840, Dec. 9th. Shot a lark upon the sandhills. I was attracted to the spot where it was feeding by the shrill, and to me strange, note it uttered. It measured from the point of the bill to the tip of the tail 7¾ inches, being nearly 2 inches longer than the Skylark. In plumage it resembled the Titlark. Whether this be a variety or no, I cannot say." This description appears to indicate that the doctor had got hold of Richard's Pipit, although the species has never been recorded in North Wales. It is unfortunate that the specimen is not, so far as I know, in existence; but the length of the bird, the shrill call-note, the Pipit-like colouring, and the very long hind claw can only apply to the species named. This note was submitted to Mr. Howard Saunders for his opinion, and he agrees with the diagnosis.— (Shrewsbury).

Siskins in Orkney.—On Sept. 21st several flocks of Siskins (Chrysomitris spinus) arrived on migration in the parish of St. Mary's, in the mainland of Orkney. The flocks numbered from fifteen to thirty individuals, and were feeding on the thistles along the cliff-edge. They were there, in decreasing numbers, for about three days, and then disappeared. The wind before their arrival and during their stay was southerly, and the weather foggy, particularly on the first morning they were observed. In 'A Fauna of the Orkney Islands' the Siskin is only admitted in brackets, the sole instance of its occurrence being a bird which was probably an "escape." Their arrival on migration therefore seems to be worth recording, though it may well be that as