Catalogue of the cases of birds in the Dyke Road Museum, Brighton : giving a few descriptive notes ...
^ ^^^^ ^^iHI^^& s^ssisss^^ 1 mi :^i".i-S5K\>^<SS!:><§SS^<S*!SS^^^ i^ ^ JS;!®s4S«SK'«S«S iSN««^{»s\\«N^s»^>»!^^JN»^^NNW^^i«ss^^^^»^'^^^^^ MUKi'iifiilitMV FOR THE PEOPLE FOR EDVCATION ^OR SCIENCE LIBRARY OF THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY ji-^^ I CATALOGUE OF THE CASES OF BIKDS DYKE EOAD MUSEUM, BRIGHTON. Giving a feu- Vescriptice Notes, and the Localities in uJtich the Specimens ivere obtained. BY E. T. BOOTH. GEORGE BEAL, PRINTER, BOOKSELLER AND STATIONER, -'07, Western Road. 1876- INTRODUCTION. As a Catalogue does not need a Preface, I will simply state, by way of introduction, that all scientific arrange- ment has been given up as hopeless in a collection where the chief object has been to endeavour to represent the ])irds in situations somewhat similar to those in which they were obtained ; many of the cases, indeed, being copied from sketches taken on the actual spots where the birds themselves were shot. The few notes and facts I have recorded are solelv the result of personal observation, and with two or three exceptions (all noted), not a book of reference has been opened. Those who expect to iind a long list of rarities will, I am afraid, be sadly disappointed, as, in order to avoid exhibiting or describing a specimen with which I was only acquainted by hearsay, I have restricted the collection entirely to birds that have fallen to my own gun during various excursions in the British Islands. CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. GOLDEN EAGLE.— (Immature.) Case 1. The specimens in this case (in conjunction with those in 306) show some of the various stages of plumage exhibited by this Eagle during its progress towards maturity. It is probable that birds of this species are five or six years old before they assume the full mature plumage. Golden Eagles vary consider- ably, but they should not, I imagine, be considered perfectly adult till all signs of white have dis- appeared from the tail, and also till the feathers on the legs have become a warm dark brown or rust colour. The two sppcimens on the right, a male and female, I should judge to be two years old, and the remaining bird, a male, in the last stage before assuming the perfect adult plumage. The birds were all trapped in the Northern Highlands in the Spring of 1878. CATALOG UK OF BIRDS. AVIIITE-TAILED EAGLE. Case 2. Though banished from numbers of eyries where it was formerly in the habit of breeding, the White- tailed Eagle still holds its own on the Western Coast of Scotland. The male and female arc here shown with their nest and eggs. The case is copied from a sketch made in the Hebrides. The female was shot and the male trapped within a few miles of the same spot in the Spring of 1877. SWIFT. Case 3. This is the last of the Swallow tribe to visit us in the spring and the first to depart in the autumn. Swifts are generally supposed to nest in holes under the eaves of houses or churches, but where suitable places of this description are wanting, they do not hesitate to make use of fissures aud cracks in the face of cliffs or precipices. The specimens in the case w^ere obtained at ihe Cromarty Rocks, on the north-east coast of Scotland, in June, 18G9. This bird and the House ^lartin nra here found in great numbers during the summer. CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. GOATSUCKER. Case 4. The Goatsucker, or Fern Owl, though unknown to many from its nocturnal habits, is a common bird from north to south. I have noticed it as particularly numerous in Sussex, Norfolk, and Ross-shire. It arrives in this country in May, and usually takes its departure as soon as the rough weather in the autumn commences. I have often at dusk seen several flying about the streets and round the chimneys, in towns on the southern and eastern coasts, during a gale of wind, previous to their departure. The nest is placed in an open spot on a heath or moor, or on the middle of a foot-track through a wood. The bi]"ds rest quietly on the ground by day, and as soon as dusk sets in commence their jarring note, from which they derive the name of Nightjar. Their food consists mainly of moths and night-flying insects. They have a most capacious mouth, and are provided with a serrated claw, which is supposed by country people to be intended for combing the scales or down of the moths from their whiskers. The birds were obtained on the Hill of Tarlogie, near Tain, in Ross-shire, in June, 1869. SWALLOW. Case 5. There are several w^eeks in the spring during wdiich Swallows may be daily observed landing on our shores. B 2 CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. The first arrivals usually make their jippearauce early in April ; and as late as the 20th of May, ^vhen out in the Channel, I have met with hundreds still crossing. Should boisterous weatlier set in shortly after their arrival, they suffer greatly from the effects of the cold and wind. The weather in the second week in June, 1871, in the east of Norfolk, was unusually severe for that time of year, and the unfortunate Swallows and Martins were seen in hundreds sheltering from the storm under the hedges and banks. I brought in several quite benumbed by cold, and after placing them in a warm room for some hours, they were en- abled to fly off in search of food. Swallows and Martins may frequently be observed, when flying over a river or pond, dipping into the water to drink. This operation is generally easily effected. I, however, noticed several hundreds of these birds lose their lives in attempting the same thing a few years back in the east of Sussex. The water had been drawn off from a large fish- pond, and although the surface still retained its usual appearance, it was in reality nothing more than a thick black mud of about the consistency of treacle. The old saying, that "one fool makes many," cer- tainly referred to the poor Swallovv'S, for no sooner had the wing of one unlucky bird been caught by the mud while skimming too closely over the surface, than the struggles of the sufferer brought scores to the spot, and within an hour or two the mud was dotted all over with hundreds of dead and dying victims. Some of those nearest the shore were reached with landing-nets, and after being cleansed from the mud in fresh water, and placed in the sun for a short CATALOGUE OF BIEDS. time, were enabled to dry their feathers and make good their escape. A few Swallows frequently remain long after the main body have left our shores for a warmer climate. These, I believe, are for the most part young birds, either too backward or weak to attempt the journey. They are occasionally noticed as late as Christmas, if the weather continues open, but as they are generally lost sight of after a few days' frost, it may be supposed that they have at last succumbed to cold and hunger. The specimens in the case were obtained in Sussex, during the summer of 1870. GOLDEN PLOVER— (SuMMEE.) Case 6. Golden Plovers, with black breasts^ usually arrive at their breeding-quarters in the Highlands at the end of April or beginning of May ; the time, however, varies with the state of the weather. In the spring of 1867 they made their appearance rather early in the nortli- w^estern part of Perthshire, and had taken up their summer quarters, when a heavy fall of snow again drove them south, and only about half a dozen pair returned and nested on ground where hundreds are generally found. It is a wonder how the egg^ and young, in such exposed spots, are enabled to withstand the effects of the frost and snow. I have frequently observed the newly-hatched young on the liills in close proximity to snow-drifts of twenty or thirty feet deep. The bird is usually obtained in its finest plumage 6 CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. immediately it arrives at its breeding-quarters ; soon after commencing nesting, white feathers begin to show among the black, and its handsome appearance is consequently spoiled. Like the Green Plover or Peewit, several pairs are commonly found nesting in company. When anyone approaches the neighbourhood of their nests they show the greatest concern, never ceasing calling and flying round till the cause of their annoyance has disap- peared. The specimens in the case were obtained in Glenlyon, in Perthshire, in the beginning of June, 1867. GOLDEN PLOVEK.— (Autumn.) Case 7. This is the plumage in which the bird is best known to those living south of the Tweed. By the time the young are strong enough to leave the hills, the old birds have mostly assumed their autumn dress, and joining together in small flocks, they make their appearance on the shores of the Scotch firths. I have, however, occasionally met with specimens, as late as the middle of September, which appeared, when on wing, to be almost in full summer plumage ; but if closely examined, it would be found that the black feathers in their breasts were thickly interspersed with white. Some few young birds, singly or in small parties, occasionally wander as far south as Norfolk, or even Sussex, by September ; but being remarkably tame, they generally fall victims to the first gunner they CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. approach, being easily ecticecl within shot by an imitation of their own note, however badly executed. During severe weather they may be found congre- gated* to the number of several thousands, generally frequenting tidal mudbanks, and retiring at high water to the adjoining marshes. It is at this season, while feeding on the mud, that they occasionally offer chances of which the punt-gunners in the neighbour- hood are not slow to avail themselves — as many as fifty, sixty, and seventy, being frequently obtained at a shot. The specimens in the case were shot on Breydon mudflats, in September, 1871. SAND MARTIN— (Immature.) Case 8. During the early part of the autumn, large numbers of Sand Martins (mostly young) may be observed, parti- cularly during wet weather, settled on the banks and among the reeds that surround the broads and large pieces of water in the eastern part of the island. The case is intended to represent the birds in such a position. The specimens were obtained near Shoreham, in Sussex, in September, 1875. ■'■ Those who have never examined any old works on fowling or gunning, may possibly not be aware that the sportsmen of former days had special terms for the flocks of every description of wildfowl, in the same manner as we speak of a covey of partridges, a bevy of quail, or a wisp of snipe. It used to be A congregation of Plover, A herd of Swan, &c. &c. Folkard on Wildfowling gives a full account on pages 5 and 6. 8 CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. WREN. Case 9. It is needless to say much about this famihar httle bird. Jenny Wren is ahnost as well known as Cock Robin. It may possibly, however, have escaped the notice of some observers, that these little birds have a singu- lar habit of roosting together in great numbers during cold weather. I have repeatedly counted as many as ten or a dozen, just at dusk, flying one after another into a hole in a haystack, or in the thatch of some out- building. The specimens in the case were obtained at Port- slade, near Brighton, in June, 1874. SAND MARTIN.— (Mature.) Case 10. We frequently have severe weather in the spring after the arrival of this poor little traveller. The Sand Martin, however, appears to be a remark- ably hardy bird, as I have sometimes noticed thousands huddled together on the reeds in the broads of our eastern counties during a snow- storm early in the spring, and apparently none the worse, should the sun break through on the following day. When I lived in Glenlyon, in Perthshire I was sur- prised to notice one season that no Sand Martins nested in the banks of an island in the Lyon, where I had observed them the previous year. We were, how- CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. 9 ever, \dsited by a very high flood in June, which com- pletely covered the whole of the island, and caused considerable damage in the district by sweeping away both cattle and sheep. I well remember landing, with a cast of the phantom minnow, the carcase of a fine ram, which was coming down the river with the first of the spate as I was returning from fishing. The specimens in the case were obtained in Norfolk, in May, 1870. HOUSE MAKTIN.~(Mature.) Case 11. To by far the greater number of the British public, Swallows, Swifts, and Martins are generally known by the name of Swallows. Those, however, who take an interest in our small visitors may easily distinguish the little bird with blue- black plumage and broad white bar across the tail, and remember that scientific naturalists have bestowed on that tiny traveller the euphonious title of " Hirundo Urbica," while to humbler observers like ourselves it is simply known as the House Martin. Most people welcome the arrival of these familiar visitors, and afford them protection when nesting under the eaves of their houses. They will, however, when taking a fancy to the comer of a window-frame, occa- sionally become a most persevering nuisance, insisting to fix their nursery, with all its accompanying dirt, to the glass of the window, even after receiving several forcible hints that the situation is unsuitable. Like all the rest of the family, they are not only 10 CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. perfectly harmless to gardeners and farmers, but they confer an inestimable boon on all, by ridding the air of millions of nocuous insects. If any of our British birds require a law to protect them, there are none, in my opinion, more worthy of it than the Swallow tribe. It was lately stated in print that a certain firm of plumassiers had given out an order for a hundred dozen Swallows and Martins. Such wanton destruction of a useful bird ought certainly, if possible, to be put a stop to. House Martins, although generally nesting, as their name implies, round the dwellings of man, may be occasionally found building amongst rocks and cliffs. The specimens in the case were taken, together with their nest, at the Cromarty Rocks, in July, 1869. DAETFOED WAEBLEE. Case 12. This is by no means an uncommon, though a decidedly local species. I have, however, only met with it in the south-eastern counties. During the summer, Dartford Warblers may gene- rally be found in most of the large patches of furze that are scattered over the South Downs, though, being remarkably shy, they are liable to escape observation, as, on the slightest signs of danger, they immediately seek the shelter of the bushes. In the winter they seem to be of a roving disposi- tion, as I have met with them several times among the stunted thorn-bushes and straggling furze on the beach CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. 11 between Eastbourne and Pevensey, and when rabbit- shooting further inland, I have noticed them occa- sionally driven out by the beagles from cover, where no one would ever imagine they would be found. The nest is small, and very artfully concealed. If deprived of their first nest, one pair will continue attempting to rear a brood till late in the season, even after being robbed of three or four sets of eggs. They feed their young generally on the body of a largish yellow moth. I observed several pairs carrying a white substance in their mouths to their nests, which I could not make out, and on shooting one bird from each of two nests I discovered that the food was iden- tical in both cases. The wings of the moth were removed, so I was not entomologist enough to name the species, but I observed that the birds hunted for their prey among the lower part of the stems of the furze. The specimens in the case were taken near Brighton, in July, 1869. SEDGE WARBLER. Case 13. This lively little bird is found from north to south, wherever there are localities adapted to its habits. It seems as noisy and as much at home in the reeds round a Highland loch as it does when met with in the fens of Cambridge or the broads of Norfolk. The nest is generally placed at no great distance from water, either among the roots of the sedges, on a rough bank, or against the stump of a tree. The specimens in the case, both old and young, were obtained near Heigham Sounds, in Norfolk, in July, 1871. 12 CATALOGUE OF BIEDS. GRASSHOPPER WARBLER. Case 14. Though frequently found in the neighbourhood of water, this Warbler is by no means so aquatic in its habits as the more common Reed and Sedge Warblers. Several pairs breed round most of the broads in the east of Norfolk, and I have also discovered tii'Av nests in hayfields and bramble-covered banks in the more southern counties. When shooting in the Nook, at Rye, in Sussex, early one morning in May, 1858, 1 found the samphire and other small weeds that grow on the mudbanks completely swarming with Grasshopper Warblers. They had evidently only just landed, and were on the point of making their way inland. There must have been sev^eral hundreds in a small patch of weed of a dozen or twenty acres. There were probably some other small birds of passage among them, but two shots which I tired into the weeds produced about half a dozen, all of which were of this species. I am unable to account for so many being found together, as I have noticed that our spring migrants arrive, for the most part, singly or in small detached parties, large numbers seldom being observed flying in company. Though very difficult to catch a glimpse of during the day, even near their nesting-quarters, they may generally be seen about daybreak singing on some high reed or branch of a tree. The slightest sign of danger, however, is sufficient to cause them to drop like a stone into the thick cover, where they quietly remain, creep- ing about like a mouse till the place is again quiet. CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. 13 One of the specimens in the case was shot near Brighton, in May, 1868 ; the other in the marshes near Hickhng Broad, in Norfolk, in May, 1873. TURNSTONE.— (Summer.) Case 15. Tm'nstones in their summer dress may usually be looked for along the coast about the middle of May. Some few of these birds occasionally remain the whole of the summer in Great Britain. This is particularly the case along the rocky parts of the coast, commencing with the Fern Islands, and terminating opposite the Bass Rock, in the Firth of Forth. Their being found at this time of the year has led some writers to state that they breed on our shores ; but up to the present time, I believe, no authenticated eggs have been taken in this country. I have on two or three occasions shot a few of these late-staying birds on purpose to examine them, and have always found that, although in what might be styled summer plumage, they were never nearly so per- fect in colour as the birds that pass along the coast in May, giving one the impression of their being either backward or sickly. They feed on the small worms and salt-water insects which are found on the mudbanks and rocks they frequent. It is a common habit with these birds to turn over seaweed, stones, and dead fish, or other refuse under which their food mio-ht be concealed. Two of the specimens in the case were obtained on 14 CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. Gullane Links, in East Lothian, in May, 1867, and the remainder on Breydon mndtiats, in Norfolk, in May, 1871. EEED WARBLER. Case 16. Scientific naturalists declare we have in this country two distinct species of Reed Warblers, but whether this is the case or not, I leave to wiser heads than mine to decide. Wherever reeds are abundant this bird is sure to be met with, either along the banks of rivers and ponds, or in the large beds that are found in the neigh- bourhood of the broads of Norfolk and Suffolk and adjoining counties. The nest is usually attached to three or four stems of the reed ; and if rocking is a luxury to the young birds, they must, certainly during rough weather, have a particularly happy time of it, as their cradle sways backwards and forwards with every breath of wind. Like their neighbour the Sedge Warbler, they are remarkably noisy, though not extremely melodious songsters. During the day both species confine them- selves to an occasional cackling note, evidently re- serving their harmony for the evening concert, which usually commences as soon as the sun gets low. Hickling Broad, in the east of Norfolk, is one of the spots where this may be heard to perfection any fine evening in June. The din that is caused by several hundreds of these birds singing and chattering at the same time, together with the croaking of the frogs, the jarring of the Night CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. 15 Hawks, and the clriimming of the Snipes, is perfectly deafening, and would never be credited by those who have not heard it. By about 11 p.m. the greater part of the performers are quiet, but the shghtest sound, even the slushing of a large pike on the look- out for his supper, is enough to make them break out again in full chorus. During cold and stormy weather they remain re- markably silent, hardly a sound, except the occasional scream of a Coot or Moorhen, being heard through the swamps, to break the monotony of the sighing of the wind through the reed-beds and the splash of the rain in the open water. The old birds, vi^ith their young, were obtained on Heigham Sounds, in Norfolk, in June, 1871. MEADOW PIPIT. Case 17. This is one of the commonest of our British birds. Althouo-h several of these Titlarks remain with us through the winter, their numbers are considerably augmented by fresh arrivals in the spring. Any still foggy morning, from the middle of March till well on in April, they may be noticed landing on the south coast, singly and in small parties, from daybreak till nine or ten o'clock. For a day or two they may be observed in numbers about the banks of streams and salt-water pools near the sea beach ; but with a change of weather, they soon proceed inland, and scatter them- selves over the country. About October there seems to be a general move- ment of these birds along the south coast, their line of 16 CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. flight being from east to west ; but whether tliey are about to cross the Channel, or what the object of their flight may be, I am unable to say. The persecution that this unfortunate Pipit under- goes from the various smaller Hawks in the Highlands ought to tend to keep down their numbers. Merlins, Sparrow Hawks, and Harriers all appear to have a special fancy for feeding their young brood with this particular bird, as long as any arc to be met with in their neighbourhood. The old birds, together with their young, were obtained between Shoreham and Worthing, on the coast of Sussex, in June, 1874. HOUSE MARTIN.— (Immature.) Case 18. This case, which represents the birds clinging to the face of a cliff, is copied from a sketch made under Tantallon Castle, on the coast of East Lothian. There are several ledges of rock along the shore between Seacliff" and Canty Bay where House Martins may be found nesting every year. Their nests are, however, so much the colour of the rocks, that it takes some time to discover their whereabouts. The specimens were obtained partly in August, 1874, in East Lothian, and the remainder in Sussex, in September, 1875. ROCK PIPIT. Case 19. This bird inay be observed round our shores from north to south. As its name implies,, it frequents chffs CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. 17 and the precipitous rocks that overhang the sea on many parts of the coast. It has a pecuHar fancy for breeding on any small island in preference to the mainland. I have noticed this particularly the case at the "Ferns" and Bass Rock, together with all the islands in the Firth of Forth on the east coast, and on the numerous small patches of rock lying off the coast of Ross-shire and Sutherland on the west. The case is copied from a sketch made on the Bass ; the nest was placed among some fallen stones in the passage leading through the Fortifications. Great numbers of these birds nest on the rock, generally among the buildings, or on the ledges on the south side. The specimens in the case were obtained at the Bass Rock, in May, 1867. TREE PIPIT. Case 20. This Pipit is only a summer visitor to our shores ; it may, however, be met with in most counties during the nesting season. Though possibly proceeding to the north of Scotland, I have never myself observed this bird beyond the Forest of Glenmore, in Inverness- shire, where in the summer of 1869 I found it breeding in considerable numbers. It has a pleasing note, and is known to bird-fanciers by the name of Singing Titlark. The specimens in the case were obtained near Brighton, in June, 1875. 18 CATALOGUE OF LTUnS. SCANDINAVIAN ROCK PIPIT. Case 21. This bird has given rise to considerahle discussion among scientific naturahsts. In my humble opinion, however, it is only a northern form of our own Rock Pipit. Early in March I have shot several specimens, which plainly showed that its winter dress was identical with that bird, only a very few of the vinous feathers being visible at that time. As Spring advances, the vinous tint gradually spreads over the whole of the breast, and the back of the head and neck becomes a bluish grey. In this plumage it may be found along the south coast from the second week in March till the latter part of April, usually frequenting the small brackish pools near the sea beach ; in some seasons, though its numbers vary considerably, it is remarkably plentiful between Brighton and Worthing. I have visited its favourite haunts on several occasions during the last three 3'ears that I have been on the south coast, but not a specimen have I met with. In March, 1871, I shot a single bird on the Norfolk coast, near Horsey. The specimens in the case were obtained partly at Portsladc, in March 1866, and the remainder near Shoreham, in April, 1870. TURNSTONE.- (Immature.) Case 22. A few young Tin-nstones occasionally make their appearance as early as the beginning of August ; they CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. 19 do not, however, show in any considerable number till after the gales with which we are usually visited in September and October. On their first arrival they are remarkably fearless. Two of the specimens in the case were shot sitting at a pool of rain-water in company vath a Purple Sandpiper, in the middle of the carriage-drive along the South Denes, at Yarmouth, during a gale of wind, in November, 1872 ; the remainder were killed earlier the same autumn on Breydon mudflats. ROBIN. Case 23. The case represents a pair of Robins in a woodyard, showing the block, hedging-glove, and chopper. The specimens were obtained near Brighton, in March, 1866. BEARDED TITMOUSE.— (Summer.) Case 24. The drainage of marshes and reclaiming of waste lands all over the country are banishing scores of our native birds from the strongholds they have held for ages. This handsome little bird, however, unlike some of the larger species, is at present in no danger of being entirely driven from our islands, as the more extensive broads and meres in the eastern counties offer them a safe retreat. The districts, however, that are suited to their habits are fast becoming much reduced ; several spots where they were formerly common in c 2 20 rATAIMUL'E UF BIRDS. Kent and Sussex having become completely changed by the new style of farming and other innovations. The never-failing persecution they suffer from dealers and collectors tends also to greatly restrict their numbers. The price of four shillings a dozen, which is offered for their eggs, induces the natives of those dreary wastes to search diligently, and but few of the first nests ever escape their sharp eyes. After the reeds get up to a certain height, it is more difficult to make out the whereabouts of the birds, and consequently the later broods escape. No one but a practised hand would ever discover the nests of this species. There are, however, in the fen and broad districts, generally a class of men who make a living by egging, gunning, and fishing. This occupation seems to have been handed down from father to son, but I am afraid that, like many of the rarer denizens of the swamps, they will before long be either driven from their quarters, or forced to adopt a new style of life. The specimens in tbe case were obtained on Heigham Sounds, in Norfolk, in May, 1870. ROBIN.— (Immature.) Case 25. The juvenile Robins do not assume the dress of the mature birds till after the first moult. The specimen on the left side of the case shows a few of the red feathers already appearing on the breast. The birds were obtained at Potter Heigham, in Norfolk, in July, 1873. CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. 2l WRYNECK. Case 26. This is only a summer visitor, arriving early in April, and after rearing its young, leaving us before the cold weather sets in. It is a well-known bird in most of the southern and midland counties, breeding frequently in fruit-trees in gardens in the immediate vicinity of houses. In some parts it is known by the name of Cuckoo's Mate, its arrival being generally noticed shortly after that of the well-known harbinger of Spring. Anyone who has watched one of these birds sunning itself on the limb of a tree, and remarked the curious contor- tions it indulges in, can scarcely fail to understand the reason the name of Wr^meck is applied to it. The specimens in the case were obtained in the neighbourhood of Brighton, in May, 1866. , NUTHATCH. Case 27. This bird is generally found where large timber is abundant. It is a near relative to the Woodpeckers, and, from its somewhat similar habits, is known by that name in some districts. It has a curious custom of plastering with mud the apertures to the holes in the trees where it breeds. A representation of a very curious nest built with mud in a haystack was given in (I believe) The Field some years ago. It was well authenticated. The specimens were shot at Plumptou, in Sussex, in April, 1866* 22 CATALOGI'K oF BIRDS. HEDGE-SPARROW. Case 28. This well-known bird is represented with its young brood. The fleshy substance round the beak of the young was carefully copied and coloured from a living "model." The specimens in the case were obtained near Brighton, in May, 1874. BEARDED TIT.— (Immature.) Case 29. The case represents the young birds as soon as they are full fledged. In this early stage it is easy to dis- tinguish the males from the females, as the former have already assumed the orange-coloured beak, which always remains one of their distinguishing points. The present specimens were obtained in September ; but young birds in this state of plumage may fre- quently be seen by the middle of May, or even earher. The Bearded Titmouse commences its nesting opera- tions as early as the middle of March, and would in all probability rear two or three broods in a season if un- molested. The demand for eggs, however, is so great, that but few of the earlier nests escape. The specimens in the case were shot on Hickling Broad, in Norfolk, in September, 1872. AVOOD SANDPIPER.— (Summer.) Case 30. The Wood Sandpiper is most frequently observed in the autumn. It is, however, occasionally met with CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. . 23 in the spring and summer, and has once or twice been noticed breeding in the northern parts of the island. In June, 1867, I found a pair of these birds on Gullane Links, in East Lothian, and from their actions I have not the slightest doubt they were breed- ing close at hand ; but one of them being accidentally killed, I was unable to discover their nest. The bird shot was a female, and had evidently been sitting. The specimens in the case were obtained on the marshes round Hickling Broad, in Norfolk, in May, 1870. WOOD SANDPIPEK.— (Autumn.) Case 31. The immature birds of this species used to be plentiful in the marshes near Rye, in Sussex, some years ago ; but since the drainage of the ground and other altera- tions, they have never appeared in such numbers. They may, however, occasionally be seen in flocks in x^ugust and September in any flat, marshy district, reinainicg sometimes for weeks, if not meeting with too warm a reception. I have never fallen in with this bird in the winter months. The specimens in the case were shot in the marshes between Rye and Winchelsea, in Sussex^ in August, 1858. 24 CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. BEARDED TIT.— (Winter.) Case 82. In winter the Reed Pheasants* jom in flocks, varying i'rom three or four to ten or fifteen, and keep together till early in the spring. Though such a delicate-looking httle bird, they are remarkably hardy, and seem able to contend against severe weather with greater success than many much larger and apparently stronger birds. The specimens in the case were obtained in the reed beds round Heigham Sounds, in Norfolk, in December, 1871. WHIThlTHROAT. Case 33. These lively little migrants soon make their arrival known, by showing themselves singing and chattering on the top of the first hedge they reach after landing on our shores for their summer visit. They seem happy enough when they reach our coast, but I have noticed them very hard pressed during a fresh north-west wind in the Channel. They appear to fly low to escape the force of the wind, and this unfortunately leads to their being struck down by the spray, when some unusually heavy sea happens to break right in front of them. I believe that the smaller birds of passage seldom * The Beaiclcd Titmouse is known among the marshmen in the east of Norfolk hy the nan^c of Kecd Phcafeaut. CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. 26 attempt to cross in the face of a gale, but that they will occasionally make a mistake in the weather I have good proof, as I have picked up several (particu- larly of this species) floating dead on the water, a few miles off the south coast. They are remarkably neat and handsome birds when they first arrive, but the cares of a family, together with the toil of providing for their wants, soon takes the gloss off their coats, and by the end of the summer they genera.lly have a most ragged and disreputable appearance. The specimens in the case were obtained in the immediate neighbourhood of Brighton during the summer of 1870. The old birds are not the parents of the 3^oung, being shot earlier in the season. LESSER WHITETHROAT. Case 34. The Lesser Whitethroat is by no means so abundant as the Common. I have, however, noticed it in con- siderable numbers in the grass country about Harrow- on-the-Hill, in Middlesex. On the south coast it shows itself most commonly early in the autumn : it is then on the point of leaving us for the winter. The nest of this species is a particularly light and finely-interwoven structure, being just sufficiently strong to carry the weight of the young brood, and at the same time so slightl}'' built as almost to give the impression of being old and deserted. The specimens in the case were taken in a clap-net close to Brighton, in August, 1869. 26 CATALOG VK (>F JJIIWS. GOLD CEEST. Case 35. This bird is plentiful from north to south, occurring most frequently in the neighbourhood of large fir plantations. Thougli it remains with us as a resident throughout the year, I have noticed in several counties that fresh arrivals take place in the autumn, and such being the case I suppose a corresponding number leave in the spring. I have never myself met with this species while crossing the North Sea during the autumnal migration, but several fishermen (who knew the bird well) have assured me that scores have occasionally settled on their boats to rest ; one man in particular stating that they would roost all night in any shelter they could find, some creeping into the blocks, where, he re- marked, they would remain "weeping all night," and in the morning would fly down and pick about on the corks and other portions of the nets that were out of water. As I discovered that they were known to the men by the name of Herring Spink, I was particular in inquiring whether they referred to the Chaffinch, but I found they were well acquainted with that bird also. I have, when cruising with the herring fleet in the North Sea during the autumn, generally noticed the Chaffinch as one of the most frequent visitors to the boats. Some of them a^Dpear much distressed by the journey, and afler pecking about the deck for some time, often go to sleep in an old fish-basket or any quiet corner they can find. The masters of most of the light ships ofl" the Norfolk and Lincolnshire coasts have, for some time past, very CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. 27 kindly been in the habit of keeping for me the right wing of all the birds that strike the lamps ; and although I have examined thousands of these wings from time to time, I never saw but one belonging to the present species. During the autumn of 1863, I found early one morning a fir plantation, on the coast of east Lothian, almost covered with these birds ; there must have been scores on every tree for several acres. How such a gathering can be accounted for I am at a loss to judge, unless they had just crossed the sea from the north of Europe. I visited the same place the next day, pro- vided wdth a good supply of dust shot, being determined to try and discover if any Fire Crests were among their numbers, but the flock had entirely disappeared. The specimens in the case were obtained in the spring of 1869, in Tarlogie Woods, near Tain, in Eoss-shire. TWITE. Case 36. These birds may generally be found every winter in flocks along the south coast, either by themselves or in company with Linnets and other small birds. They seem to have a particular fancy for some food that is found among the weeds on the mudbanks that are covered by the high tides ; if driven from these spots, they are sure to return after a short flight. I have frequently, when in Caithness and Sutherland, endeavoured to discover the nest of this species, but although the birds themselves were plentiful on some parts of the moors, I never succeeded in finding either young or eggs. Sd CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. r Some of these birds appeared to remain in small flocks all through the summer. The specimens in the case were shot on the mud- banks in Shoreham Harbour, in December, 1869. QUAIL. Case 37. This bird is much commoner in the southern counties than is generally supposed. Numbers breed in the immediate vicinity of Brighton, their eggs being frequently mown out within a few hundred yards of the town. Still, as but few are ever obtained during the shooting season in this part, I suppose they must be migrants on the south coast, although their time of arrival and departure, or where they go to, has always been a mystery to me. They are occasionally found in most counties in England, though but rarely in Scotland. I have often myself fallen in with several scattered birds when shooting in the Fens, near Cambridge, where, with the help of Partridges, Snipe, Duck, Teal, and Hares, a good mixed bag was not unfre- quently made up during the early part of the winter. I now and then heard of as many as seven or eight brace being killed in a day, but that was usually in the beginning of September. I have also good proof that they nested in the neighbourhood, as one of the speci- mens in the case was shot on Bottisham Fen, in May, 18G1 ; the remainder being bagged on SwaJBfham Fen, near Cambridge, in November, 1862. CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. 29 DIPPEE. Case 38. There appears to be a difference of opinion among writers concerning the habits of these singular birds ; some declaring that they are prejudicial to the spawn and fry of fish, while others assert that they are not only perfectly harmless, but of the greatest service to the rivers, from constantly feeding on various kinds of destructive beetles and other insects. I believe that there is undoubted evidence that they have been both seen and shot while in possession of small fish ; but I am decidedly of opinion that their presence on the waters is beneficial rather than otherwise. They are to be found frequenting most of the rivers and streams in the northern parts of the Island, being perhaps more numerous in the rocky burns of Perth- shire than in any other county. During hard winters I have occasionally fallen in with these birds on the seacoast, being, I suppose, frozen out from their accustomed streams. The specimens in the case were obtained on the river Lyon, in Perthshire, in November, 1865. WILLOW WKEN. Case 39. This small migrant is widely distributed over the British Islands, being particularly numerous even to the north of Scotland, wherever there is sufficient vegetation in the various glens. The great similarity between this bird and the Chiff- 30 CATALOaVK OE r.fl!l>^. chaff leads many to confuse them. There is, how- ever, a very marked difference m their song, in the position and construction of their nests, and also in the marking of their eggs. I have seen it stated that a Cuckoo's egg has been found in the nest of this species. It is, of course, well known that the Cuckoo occasionally carries its efi'c: in its mouth, and is in that manner enabled to insert it in nests that would otherwise be unapproach- able to a bird of such size. I, however, am unable to understand how the young Cuckoo, when arrived at the proper age, would ever be enabled to make its exit from its nursery ; the aperture of the nest only being constructed of sufficient size to allow of the entry or departure of its rightful owner. I have noticed these birds very busy in gardens in July and August, pecking about under the leaves of the currant bushes, and discovered that they were making a wholesale clearance of the little green bugs that infest the plants at that season. The specimens in the case, together with the nest, were obtained in Glenlyon, in Perthshire, in June, 1867. LINNET.— (Summer.) Case 40. Brown linnets do not at the present time appear to be nearly so abundant as they were in my bird-nesting days, about five and twenty years ago. Improvements in agriculture, such as breaking up of waste lands and furze-covered downs, together with the persecution thoy annually suffer from the nets of CATALOGUE OF BinDS. 31 the bird-catchers, have kept on gradually reducing their numbers, till in some parts of the country they are now almost become rare birds. They are, how- ever, still numerous during the early part of the winter near Brighton. I find the average take for one pair of nets of a morning is between thirty and fifty dozen. The hens are killed, the males sent to London. I have noticed them some winters joining with the Twites, and frequenting the weeds that grow on the salt-water mudbanks in Shoreham harbour. Some years ago, in East Lothian, I discovered a nest of this bird in the side of a wheat stack at about fourteen feet from the ground. The young were just on the point of flying. It was rather singular that in the thatch of the adjoining stack a partridge was sitting on fourteen eggs. The specimens in the case, male, female, and brood, were obtained on the Downs in the neighbourhood of Brighton, in June, 1870. LINNET.--(WiNTER.) Cafie 41. It will be seen by the specimens in the case that during winter the male birds of this species lose the handsome crimson feathers that adorn their breasts in summer, and take in their place others of a more sober claret colour. If kept in confinement they never regain the bright colour when they have once lost it. The specimens in the case were obtained between Eottingdean and Newhaven, in Sussex, during the severe weather in December, 1874. 32 CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. CHIFF-CHAFF. Case 42. The Chiff-chaff is usimlly the first of the warblers to visit ITS in the spring. It spreads over the greater part of the coimtr}^ and is said to be observed fre- qnently in the north of Scothind. As many writers have recorded this fact it is pro- bably correct, but I have myself been unable to detect any in the Highlands, though the Willow Wren and Wood Wren are particularly numerous even in the wildest glens. The eggs of these three small species of Leaf Warblers (as they are styled by some authors) are much more easily distinguished than the birds them- selves. That of the Willow Warbler is, hke the others, of a pinkish white ground, strongly blotched with red spots towards the longer end. The markings on the egg of the Chiff-chaff are of a claret colour, while the egg of the Wood Wren is thickly speckled with warm brown. The specimens in the case were obtained near Plumpton, in Sussex, in April, 1867. SPARROW HAWK. Case 43. I am afraid this Hawk has many enemies and but few friends. Those who take an interest in falconry often put in a plea for that still greater robber, the Peregrine ; but I never yet heard a word spoken in defence of the poor Sparrow Hawk. CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. 33 That he is a bad character no one who has taken the trouble to watch his habits can deny. Gamekeepers often wrongfully accuse certain birds of carrying off the young pheasants from the coops during the breeding season ; but with regard to this hawk, I always think that he fully deserves the bad name which he has acquired. This bird would, I should imagine, soon become a very numerous species, were it not so universally killed down. It is seldom that a brood is allowed to fly on any ground where game is preserved, except where they owe their safety to the denseness of the timber or the laziness of the gamekeepers and trappers. The Sparrow Hawk is found all over the country, being most numerous in the neighbourhood of large woods. It generally makes use of the nest of the Crow or some other large bird in which to rear its ravenous brood. I have noticed in the Highlands that the young birds were frequently fed upon the Meadow Pipit, which is one of the commonest small birds in that part of the country during the summer months. The specimens in the case, both old and young, were obtained near Lairg, in Sutherland, in June, 1868. The nest had been built and occupied by a pair of Grey Crows the previous year. 34 CATALOGUE OF BIEDS. MERLIN. Case 44. Immature birds of this species are frequently met with in the south, though the true home of this dash- ing little hawk is evidently in the land of the heather and mist. They are said to be very destructive to game, and as such usually pay the penalty that the possession of a bad name incurs. Whether it is that my own expe- rience with regard to this bird has been too limited to form a correct judgment I am unable to say, but I hardly think that they are the desperate characters that they are generally described. Those which I have seen in the south were usually in pursuit of small birds, and while seeking this sort of prey they are frequently captured in the clap-nets that abound near Brighton. On the Grouse moors in the north I have examined the remains of the victims that they have consumed near their nests, and never found anything larger than a Dunhn, which bird, with Larks, Pipits, and large moths (principally of the Egger species), seemed to make up their bill of fare. Though frequenting most of the wild, rocky glens in the Highlands, they seem to have a partiality for the more open moors, being particularly numerous in the flat parts of Sutherland and Caithness. The nest is generally placed amongst the heather on the ground in the open moor. The eggs in the case were, however, taken from the face of a rock overhanging a hill loch in Ross-shire. 