has all the action and habits of the thrush. The cock blackbird chases it; and in return it chases the cock song-thrush, which it exceeds in size, and differs particularly in the form and length of the tail, as well as the colour. It is in all respects like White's thrush, but, as I said before, of a darker hue.—E.A.H.
[The so-called White's Thrush, (Oreocincla Whitei of Gould), is only an accidental straggler into Europe: it differs totally from our British species, in having a longer beak and other marks of distinction. I have no doubt your correspondent's bird is a hen blackbird, perhaps rather lighter coloured than usual.—H. Doubleday.]
Note on the occurrence of the Herring Gull at Worcester. A fine specimen (female) of the herring gull (Larus argentatus, Brunn.), was shot last week by John Smith, Esq., on the moat in front of his house, at Lower Wick, on the banks of the Teme near this city. This bird is said to be the predominant species on the western coast to which we are nearest, nevertheless so far inland such visitants are rare, unless in very rough weather, when occasionally some of this tribe are driven here by the violence of the gales on the sea-coast.—Geo. Reece, Foregate St., Worcester, February 28, 1843.
Note on a Grey Parrot.
"A lady in the town of Chepstow has been in possession of a grey parrot for the last twenty-one years. When she became possessed of it she supposed it was two or three years old; during the whole of this period it produced no eggs, but to her great surprise, from the 9th of January to the 12th of February inst., the bird has laid seven eggs."—Monmouthshire Merlin, February 25, 1843.
Note on Birds in April.—
"About the 9th the willow-wren is heard, and the following birds—tree-pipit, wryneck, yellow wagtail, turtle-dove, quail, swallow, cuckoo, common and lesser whitethroat, reed and sedge warbler, whinchat and nightingale—continue to arrive in this succession till the 16th. On or about the 20th the wood- wren appears; the short-eared owl and common shoveller depart. From the 20th to the end, the swift and garden warbler appear."—Van Voorst's Naturalists' Almanack.
Reptiles.
Note on the Sand Lizard. In the month of March, 1840, I received a specimen of the sand lizard (Lacerta agilis) from Poole, in Dorsetshire, a few remarks on which, in confinement, will perhaps be acceptable. On receiving it I constructed a box 4j inches deep, and 16 inches square, the top of which was glazed, and the box lined with green baize. In this box were placed two troughs, one containing water and the other sand, both of which it seems to delight in, bathing in and drinking the former, and lying in the latter basking in
