Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 6 (1902).djvu/413

Rh and an incalculable amount of good, suffering the most, since they are easiest to secure. One pair were accused of killing Capercailie and Ptarmigan, and their death-warrant signed; so I went off to the hills to secure pictures of the nest and specimens of the birds. The nest was full of débris of Mice—Bank- Voles chiefly; one lay uneaten on the sticks. But, though I rigged up a chicken in a most tantalizing manner to try and secure the male bird, neither the cock nor hen, who kept howling from the top of a fir tree, would look at it. The farmer became less convinced as to their destructive propensities, but still eight croners for the four birds form a strong inducement to them to send in the claws to the local landsman (policeman).

Of other birds, one noted the Brambling, Norfolk Plover, Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, Curlew, Grey Plover, Spotted Flycatcher, Heron, Marsh Tit, Swallow, House and Sand Martin, Redstart, Whinchat, Willow-Wren, and many others; while the note of the Great Black Woodpecker was frequent in the hill-forests, though I never had the luck to see one. The Cuckoo, too, was in full song in July. One could have wished that the pursuit of ornithology had been one's only pastime; but, since we had travelled for a whole week to catch Salmon, our backs had to be turned resolutely on the woodland glades. — (Wimbledon).

The Two-barred Crossbill in Nottinghamshire.—I was delighted to be able to add a new bird to the Nottinghamshire list, viz. the Two-barred Crossbill (Loxia bifasciata). When in Southwell (the smallest city in England, and which contains one of the most beautiful cathedrals), I called on Henry Schumach, the talented taxidermist. I found him going over an old box of birds preserved by his late father, and amongst them at once "spotted" this rare British visitor. I asked him about it, and he said: "I remember it being shot very well by Mr. Emery, butler to the late Mr. Wyld, of Southwell. He saw it in some big old Scotch firs in the grounds, and shot it, and brought it to my father, to whom he gave it." I then asked him why his father had never mentioned it to me or others. He said he thought it must have been an escaped cage-bird, so stuffed it to put in a case some time, but had never done so. He was at home when the bird was shot, and saw it in flesh when brought in. I had a good look at it; the claws were sharp, and plumage good; legs a bit shattered by shot. I have secured it for my collection, and shall value it as a rare British bird.— (Rainworth, Notts).

Cirl Bunting in Ireland.—On Saturday, August 2nd, within half a mile of Dunfanaghy, Co. Donegal, I watched for some time an adult Zool. 4th xer. vol. IV., September, 1902.