his cherries. After two or three unsuccessful attempts on the part of Mr. Lane, the bird at last fell to my barrel. It was about the size of a starling, and resembled that bird in its manner of standing and flying, more than any bird I am acquainted with. The tail was, I think, rather longer, and more like that of a blackbird. The head, and down half the neck, save the bill, which was yellow, and a large tuft of feathers on the crown, the colour of the back; the wings and the tail were a beautiful, glossy, jet black; the back, breast, and belly (the latter somewhat lighter) were the colour of the Royston crow, but beautifully speckled all over, at regular distances, about 1 in. apart, with three small bright red spots placed equidistantly in triangles, not in regular lines, but becoming more crowded towards the neck. The tuft on the head was of the same ash colour as the body, but I am uncertain whether this was also speckled or not. This tuft the bird seemed to have the power of raising at pleasure. Its cry resembled that of the water ouzel, and its legs and feet those of the starling. It was quite a rara avis in this country, no one knowing anything of it; nor could any description of it be found in Buffon, Goldsmith, Mavor, or Bewick. Whether this bird was a strayed exotic, or a variety or mule of any indigenous species, I am not sufficiently acquainted with natural history to say. Mule birds, even in their wild state, are sometimes met with. I once saw a perfectly white starling among a flock of them, by the road-side; and a nearly white hen-sparrow, for several years, had her nest within 20 yards of my bed-room window. This strange cherry-bird was given, for the purpose of being preserved in the Dublin Museum, to Mr. Healy Dutton, who happened to be in the neighbourhood, collecting materials for his statistical survey of the county, at the time it was killed. Whether it was preserved and lodged in the museum or not, I have never learned, nor indeed have I ever enquired; but I should think, from even the imperfect description given above, it might, if in existence, be identified: at any rate, my account may call the attention of some ornithologist, who may be pleased to give his opinion as to what this stranger really was.— Charles Adams Drew. Ennis, June 25. 1828. ART. V. Calendar of Nature for London. THE remarkably mild and open weather which has prevailed since our last report, has been attended with its usual consequences, viz. late vegetable productions, as flowers, &c., rarely seen in the months of November and December. Early flowers, as the primrose, polyanthus, and Christmas rose, are already in bloom. The song-thrush frequently, and the redbreast constantly, singing. Many insects still swarm under hedges; and the blind beetle (Geotrupes stercoràrius) is seen on wing every evening. The weather, since our last, has only been varied by two or three frosty nights in the early part of November, and a storm of thunder about the 8th instant.-J. M. Dec. 23. 1828. THE two ensuing months, as the first of the year, are full of promise, by presenting, on sheltered spots, the opening buds and peeping flowers. If the weather be severe, there will be but few attractions for the naturalist. The entomologist, however, may detect the Hýphydrus ovàtus, the Colym. bètes bipunctatus, and the Nèpa cinèrea, in ponds or ditches; the Salpingus róboris, Coccinélla humeràlis, and Dròmius quadrimaculatus, under the bark of trees; and, perhaps, may meet with the Geómetra primària and brumària moths in hedges. - J. M. Dec. 23. 1828. ART. VII. Queries and Answers. THE Heather-bluiter of the Scotch (p. 297.) is the common bittern, miredrum, or marsh-boomer (A'rdea stellaris Linn.); and the sound of the bird is so very common, that every child is familiar with it, though the birds, from being shy, are not often seen. The poet Thomson seems to have had a very erroneous notion of the manner in which the bird produces the noise, when he says, On the contrary, I have repeatedly remarked that the bittern usually boons while flying high in the air. Its lofty spiral flight, indeed, is a matter of common remark. "Swift as the bittern soars on spiral wing." Southey. A line which, I may remark, is not very ornithological; inasmuch as neither the bittern, nor any other bird, has spiral wings. Southey, however, seems to be well acquainted with the boom of the bittern. "At evening, over the swampy plain, The bittern's boom came far." Thalaba. J. Rennie. Edible Lizards. (p. 391.)—Is not a large species of lizard eaten, and reckoned a delicacy, in Jainaica? - M. [Yes; the fact is well known.J. R.] Búlla lignària. Sir, Will you favour me, in one of your succeeding Numbers, with a few remarks upon the gizzard of the Búlla lignària. I am anxious to know whether the inhabitant of this shell is endowed with any peculiar digestive power, or whether this organ may be met with in any other species of shell fish. A little information on this subject will greatly oblige, Sir, &c.-C. S. July 18. 1828. Parrots in Van Diemen's Land. — A friend, residing in Van Diemen's Land, has asked me if I can suggest any means of preventing parrots from destroying seed when first sown; and I ask you or any of your correspondents. A Subscriber. London, August 11. 1828. Organisation of Plants.—I take a great interest in the physiology of botany, and have often lamented the insufficiency of microscopes to enable me to ascertain the organisation of plants From a number of the Library of Useful Knowledge, I learn that this enquiry is facilitated, by plunging the parts to be examined in a phial of nitric acid, placing the phial in boiling water, and keeping it at the boiling point for 12 or 15 minutes. I have tried this, but cannot succeed; the contents of the phial, when taken out, were merely the acid, and a portion of pulp totally disorganised, and in a state of effervescence that would admit of no examination, had there been anything to examine. I tried it with half the boiling, but, even then, the parts were one confused mass, from which nothing could be understood. Can you give me any information about this; or, if not, will you put a query to that effect in the Magazine? E. K. August 3. 1828. ART. VIII. Retrospective Criticism. FOOD of the Lapwing. Under Art. Zoology, p. 374., on the mistakes of instinct in animals, it is said that "the lapwing, when it cannot find a sufficiency of slugs, pats the ground with its feet, to bring forth earthworms." That the lapwing devours slugs is enough to propitiate the farmers in favour of the bird, however averse they may be from the land they frequent. I have often tried to discover what the food of these birds was, but never could be satisfied on this point. Within the last month I desired a gamekeeper (Nash, gamekeeper to G. Farley, Esq., Crowle House, Worcestershire) to shoot a couple, out of hundreds which frequented a field of fallow then sowing with wheat. I saw them opened. The gizzard contained small stones, and morsels of green vegetable matter. The vessel which the gamekeeper called the trail, was charged with a thick mucus, in which were small stones, pieces of the élytra of small beetles, and seeds of some species of Polygonum; but no slugs (though the field swarmed with them), earthworms, wheat (of eating which the birds were accused by the bailiff), nor any other matter which could be distinguished. I have often observed that the lapwing finds some part of its food a little way below the surface of the ground, as the moist sides of the furrows are full of perforations made with their bills. At the same time, I have noticed very little hills of fine earth, resembling those of the little ground bee, thrown up out of round cavities or cells, each of which contains the larva of some insect of the beetle tribe, as they are in colour like those of the ladybird, but in shape and size very like the Lepísma saccharìna. These larva, I suspected, might be the prey of the lapwing; but this I never could determine. M. Foreign Migratory Birds. (p.576.)—On the notice respecting the introduction of foreign or migratory song birds, J. R. seems to doubt whether redbreasts would take to strange eggs, because, he says, they readily forsake their own, if touched." J. R. ought to have known, that, though redbreasts, as well as other birds, will forsake their eggs and nests, if disturbed in the early part of the season, or while they are laying, they seldom do so after they have begun to sit. Mr. Anderson only stated facts.-M. J. R., in reply to these remarks, professes his ignorance of the circumstance that birds seldom forsake their nests after beginning to sit, and is certain of many particular facts authorising a contrary opinion. Many birds will forsake their young, much more their eggs, of which the domestic pigeon is a well-known example. Biography of J. Templeton, Esq. (p. 405.) — Sir, The biography of the late Mr. Templeton, which has been commenced in the last Number of the Magazine of Natural History was not written by me. This I stated to you before, a circumstance, which, in consequence, I suppose, of the manuscript coming through my hands, had been overlooked. It is the composition of the Rev. Thos. D. Hincks, M.R.I.A., and Principal of the Classical Department of the Belfast Institution. Mr. Hincks was, when he read the paper, President of the Belfast Natural History Society, but on account of a multiplicity of engagements, he resigned that office, and I was elected to it. The very interesting account of our late excellent naturalist, has been given by Mr. Hincks in such a way as might be looked for from one of his long acknowledged talents and extensive erudition, and is much superior to any thing I could have produced on the subject. I therefore request that you will publish this note in your next, and alter the heading of the article in your continuations of Mr. Templeton's life. By so doing, you will much oblige your constant wellwisher. - Jas. L. Drummond. Belfast, Dec. 6. 1828. INDEX. Abdomina, in insects, 423. Abyssinia, exploring of, by Edward Ruppel, 286. Aerial spider, on the, by John Murray, Esq. African bull, lateral hoofs of, 114; peculiarity Air, to ascertain the course of, 384. Alligators, remark on their swallowing stones, Altaic mountains, tour to, 73. Ampúlla, from ampulla, a bottle, 28. Animal and vegetable remains, and rocks, col- Animal kingdom, basis for the four grand divi- 4. Anther described, 232. 474. Babington, C. C., Esq., rare insects found in Baboon, a dog-faced one figured and described, Bainbridge's Fly-fisher's Guide, &c. noticed, 173: Bakewell's Introduction to Geology, reviewed Baltimore Orioles, 47. 418. Bánksia, from Sir Joseph Banks, 362. Bottersly, Mr. W., notice of Ellis's work on Beavers on the Severn, 394. Bees, psalm-singing to, 303; query on putting Belfast botanic and horticultural garden, 85. Bennet's Fishes of Ceylon, &c., No. I., for June, Berberide, description of, 140. Bernárdus, from St. Bernard of Menthon, 26. Biography of J. Templeton, 403. Biography of plants, on the utility and enjoy- Bird-catchers in the vicinity of London, evils Antholýza, from anthos, a flower, lyssa, rage, Birds, foreign, introduction of, 376; Linnean Antirrhinum Linària, 379. Aphylleæ, from a, privative, and phyllon, a leaf, Arcana of Science, notice of, 467. Argutor, from argutor, to make a shrill noise. 55. Artus, in insects, 423. Ascent of the spider into the atmosphere, 157. Aster, mistake respecting the Italian, 232. Audouin's Annales des Sciences Naturelles, &c., Audubon, John James, Esq. F.L.S. &c., on the Audubon's Birds of America reviewed by W. Aviary, notice of Mr. Sweet's, 81. arrangement of, 122; Pennant's arrangement Birds of passage, arrival of the summer ones in Birds, rare, observed in the neighbourhood of Biscacho described, 285. Bischof's Chemische Untersuchungen, &c. 175. Blackwall, John, Esq., manners and economy of Blocks and boulders, erratic, 485. Cárdium, from kardia, the heart, 29. Carpella, dim. of karpos, a fruit, 137. Botanical characters of the oak, 248. Botanic garden at Havannah, 284; at Stras- Botanic gardens at Heidelberg, 478. Botany, discouragements in the science of, 126; Botany Bay Devil, notice of, 75. Bowdich, Mrs., anecdotes of a tamed panther, Branchiostegous, from branchiæ, gills, stegë, a Brandes' and Kruger's Pyrmonts Mineralquel- Brandes' Quarterly Journal for April, reviewed, Brayley, E W., jun., A. L. S. Introductory Bree, W. T., Esq., answer to query on preserv- Brewster's Journal for April reviewed, 169; for Brisson's arrangement of birds, 121. British Museum, 181; hint to curators of, 182; British plants, localities of, 83. British Warblers, by Robert Sweet, F.L.S., &c., Brongniart's Histoire des Végétaux fossiles, 63. Brown, H. J., notice of the ladybird, 191. Buffon's Euvres complètes, &c., 63. Burrow's Elements of Conchology, according to Cassia, notice on that of Port Royal, by Y. B., Cassini's Opuscules Phytologiques, 174. Cats, white, with blue eyes, 66; notice of, by W. Caudal, from cauda, the tail, 163. Cellulares, from cellula, a little cell, 156. Chàma, from chainō, to gape, 26. Characters of vegetables and animals, 97. to 108. Chiage's Memoire sulla Storia e Notomia degli Chiton, from chiton, a coat of mail, 26. Classification, remark on, by C.N., 370. Coccinella, dim. of kokkos, a berry, 54. Colours, standard of, required, 198. Colymbètes from kolymbētēs, a swimmer, 54. Connate, derived from con, together, natus, Contributions of the Maclurian Lyceum to the Corals, notice of Ellis's work on, by W. Batters- Corolla, dim. of corona, a crown, 231; descrip- Corollifioræ, from corolla and flos, 136. Cowthorpe oak described and figured, 246. |