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 A HISTORY OF LEICESTERSHIRE the eaves of a cottage in the village. The young and the male bird were of the normal type, but the female was a curious variety. The wings and tail were of a light brownish-drab, showing in certain lights some- what of an isabelline tint but all the head, breast, and back were of a dusky greyish-brown, the ochreous tips of the mantle and wing-covert feathers showing dimly through the all-pervading grey not at all a pretty bird, and irresistibly reminding one of an ancient and faded stuffed specimen, one which had been exposed for a number of years to a strong light. I saw the birds when alive, and the contrast between the almost black male and the female, which looked nearly white or cream-coloured when flying to and from the nest, was very marked. Pinchen told me that a cream-coloured starling had been repeatedly observed close to the Spinney Hill Park during the summer of 1887. It had also been noticed in a flock the previous autumn. In The Zoo/ogist for December, 1846, Mr. Wm. Turner, of Uppingham, reports the occurrence of a white starling at Blaby. It was found in a nest con- taining other young ones of the ordinary colour. Mr. H. S. Davenport saw a cinnamon-coloured variety at Potter's of Billesdon in 1 888. Dr. Macaulay reported four starling's eggs taken from a disused magpie's nest on 5 May, 1892, at Carlton Curlieu. Three eggs of different types from the same nest from Stoughton were presented to the museum by Mr. B. Turner, on 8 May, 1896. Mr. G. Frisby writes, 3 I May, 1 906 : ' I saw a flight of young starlings, and this before some of the old birds had mated and were still in flock." Mr. W. J. Horn writing in 1907 says that the strangest place he has known for a nest was a disused pump. The bird entered where the spout used to be, and the nest was not more than a foot from the ground. 70. Rose-coloured Pastor. Pastor roseus (Linn.). This species is inserted on the authority of the late Dr. Macaulay, who stated {Mid. Nat. 1882, p. 63) that one was seen near Foxton, about 1870, by the late Rev. H. Matthews. It was in the company of a flock of starlings. Since then Turner has told me that a man named Collins, now deceased, received a specimen in the flesh from Enderby, about 1870-5. Mr. G. Pullen ls records a specimen as occurring near Castle Donington. 71. Jay. Garruhs glandarius (Linn.). Resident and generally distributed. Mr. Daven- port finds their nests and eggs every year, and on 27 May, 1887, he found a nest containing four eggs of a beautiful pink variety, which he considers a great rarity. Mr. W. J. Horn writes in 1907 : ' I have taken the nest and eggs in Burbage Woods." 72. Magpie. Pica rustica (Scopoli). Resident and generally distributed. A snuff- coloured variety, purchased by Mr. J. W. Whitaker in 1882, was said by the man who sold it to have been taken at Stoughton. Mr. Davenport reports that a pure white magpie frequented the neighbourhood of Shearsby for a long time in the winter of 1881-2. Mr. W. J. Horn writes in 1 907 : ' On an average three pairs breed in the town of Market Harborough. In this immediate neighbourhood there " r.C.H. Dtrb. i, 132. are just about as many. Early one morning last May I was aroused by the alarm notes of a pair of black- birds. Looking from my bedroom window I found a magpie was the cause of the excitement, and no wonder, for he was hopping backwards and forwards from a tree to their nest, and at every visit he brought out a nestling, which he gobbled up as one would an oyster.' 73. Jackdaw. Corvus moneJula, Linn. Resident and common, breeding in old steeples, &c., in Leicester. I have especially noticed them at St. Margaret's Church, where the sexton informed me that they deposited their sticks in such numbers upon the upper steps of the belfry as to completely block up the passage and necessitate their being carted away. Mr. Davenport reports a variety of the eggs taken by him in Launde Wood in 1 88 1. The late Dr. Macaulay brought me a curious variety, shot by the keeper at Bradgate Park on 25 May, 1888. The lower parts of the primaries of each wing were umber-brown, becoming lighter, or more drab-like, towards the tips. The lower parts of the secondaries were similar, as also that part which corresponds with the alar bar in most birds. Five, possibly six feathers one being shot away in the tail were deep umber-brown. The outer edges of each feather were in every case the lightest, the re- mainder being of the normal type. The scheme was, however, by no means regular in either wings or tail, although the pattern of each wing was almost exactly like its fellow, and it was rather oddly than well or regularly marked. The gradual fading off from the glossy greenish-blue tint to brown was curious, and gave to the brown somewhat of a purple hue. Mr. W. J. Horn, writing in 1907, says that ' Many pairs breed in the steeple of Market Harborough Church.' He states that a pair of rooks began to build in a large plane tree in the bank garden (quite in the centre of the town), but this tree being the favourite perching place of the jackdaws nesting in the church spire, they promptly pulled the rooks' nest to pieces and carried the sticks away. 74. Raven. Corvus corax, Linn. Has not occurred for years. Mr. Babington, writ- ing in 1842 (Potter, op. cit. App. p. 67), said: ' Generally to be seen on Sharpley a few years since, still in Bradgate Park, as I learn from Mr. Bloxham,' but Harley stated that the late Mr. Adams assured him that the raven had entirely deserted Bradgate Park, and that the last date of its occurrence at Sharpley Rocks was 26 Oct., 1848. The late Dr. Macaulay reported one (Mid. Nat. 1882, p. 64) shot at Sadding- ton, many years since, by Mr. Johnson, whilst it was feeding on a portion of a sheep that had been hung up in a plantation. C. and T. Adcock informed me in 1888 that their grandfather, George Evans, told them that this bird used to breed regularly in Brad- gate Park and that when he was a boy (sixty-five years ago) he took the young and reared them and on one occasion sold one to the old Three Crowns Inn at the corner of Horsefair Street. Harley stated that a raven reared its young at Garendon in 1825, which would be about the same date. 75. Carrion-crow. Corvus coront, Linn. Resident, generally distributed, but not so common as formerly. Harley stated that, on the large grass-