pond close by, which, however, was not the case. When first seen it was in the company of a number of tame ducks and geese, with which it associated during the day-time; but in the evening it took flight to Claywheel Dam at Wadsley Bridge, where it was shot and afterwards taken to a Natural-History dealer in Sheffield to be sold, the shooter not caring to have it mounted for himself, as it is considered unlucky in that neighbourhood to have a stuffed Swan in the house! It was purchased in the belief that it was an ordinary Mute Swan, by Mr. A. S. Hutchinson, now stuffer at this Museum, who had seen it on the dams, but when he brought it to the Museum I saw that it was an adult specimen of Bewick's Swan, Cygnus Bewickii, and obtained the above particulars from him and from the man who shot it. A Canada Goose, Anser Canadensis, was shot on the same dam at the beginning of 1875; and in June last I was informed that an uncommon bird had been shot on Clay-wheel Dam at Wadsley, and on making enquiries I found that it had been plucked and eaten by its utilitarian captor, so that I was not able to identify it, but the man who shot it immediately recognised it as the Canada Goose on looking through Morris's 'British Birds.'— E. Howarth (Curator, Sheffield Public Museum).
Pied Flycatcher in Epping Forest.—I bought the bird which accompanies this note of a dealer in Seven Dials. He told me it was caught in the neighbourhood of Epping Forest on the 13th September. I kept it for three days, and had got it to feed freely on chopped egg and meal-worms, when it suddenly died. I believe it to be a Pied Flycatcher, but am not sure. Will you kindly identify it for me?—Harry Lee (The Waldrons, Croydon).
[The bird is a female Pied Flycatcher.—Ed.]
Curious Death of a Swallow.—When out with the Sheffield Naturalists' Club at Kiveton Park, in June last, I found under an old oak tree a dead Swallow, Hirundo rustica, with wings and tail outspread. On examination, the cervical vertebrae appeared to be dislocated, and as it had evidently been suddenly killed whilst flying, it occurred to me that it had met its death by coming in contact with a branch of the tree whilst in too eager pursuit of its insect prey. As the Swallow is so keen of sight and rapid in movement, such an accident seems rather remarkable. There were no telegraph-wires near.—E. Howarth (Curator, Sheffield Public Museum).
Purple Gallinule at Hickling Broad.—In connexion with the correspondence which has been going on about the Porphyrios killed in this country, you will be interested in hearing that a specimen, in the most perfect plumage, was killed at Hiclding Broad last week, viz., on September 7th, and has been well mounted for its owner, Mr. Micklethwaite, by Mr. T.E. Gunn, of Norwich. I have little doubt it is one of my own, which
