PHOCEINA COMMUNIS.

Order CETACEA.

Family DELPHINIDE.

Genus PHOCÆINA.

Common Porpoise.

Frequent in shoals during stormy and changeable weather.

Genus HYPEROODON.

HYPEROODON BUTZKOPF. Bottle-head.

One stranded upon East Hoyle Bank, 1850, and exhibited at Tranmere Slip, after which it was cut up at Hoylake, and 140 gallons of oil obtained from its blubber. The stomach contained great numbers of the horny beaks of some species of cuttle. Although these have been found frequently in the stomachs of whales, in this instance the mode of their arrangement was remarkable, as the beaks were inserted one within another, so as to ride, regularly imbricated, in rows of ten, fifteen, or twenty together. I have pulled as many as seven asunder, and the person who took them from the stomach informed me that they formed rows, in some instances, of an inch and a-half in length. Many were so firmly impacted that they required strong traction to separate them, and sometimes they would break rather than come asunder. This curious arrangement must have been brought about by the peristaltic movements of the stomach.

Another specimen was captured at the Little Moels two years ago.

August 25, 1853, a male of this species was stranded upon East Hoyle Bank; its length was 21 feet; from the angle of the mouth to the tip of the snout, 20 inches; from tip of snout to eye, 3 feet 6 inches; eye to spiracle, 2 feet 3 inches. The pectoral fins were 1 foot 9 inches long, and 9 inches broad; tail fin or propeller, 5 feet 6 inches broad, and 2 feet long; the dorsal fin about 10 or 11 feet from the tail; from the vent to the tail, 7 feet 6 inches; orifice of urethra to anal opening, 1 foot 10 inches; the length of the snout was 1 foot 3 inches. I had an opportunity of seeing the stomach opened, and observed great numbers, certainly many hundreds, of the cuttle beaks; many were unattached, but others were placed one within another, as in the foregoing instance.

Another of the same species, probably his female mate, was seen swimming about the same locality for three weeks after his capture, and was driven by three fishing boats upon the same bank, which, however, was covered with sufficient water to enable it to "flounder off."

HALLEETUS ALBICILLA.

CLASS II.-AVES.

Order RAPTORES.

Family FALCONIDE.

Genus HALIÆETUS.

Seen at Leasowe, shot at and wounded.-Mr. Brockholes. Both Messrs. Mather and Butterworth have had them from the neighbourhood for stuffing.

Genus PANDION.

PANDION HALLEETUS. Osprey, Fishing-hawk.

Shot at Formby five years ago, and once since.-Mr. Mather.

Genus FALCO.

FALCO PEREGRINUS. Peregrine Falcon.

Seen on the wing at New Brighton by Mr. Price. Mr. Mather has stuffed specimens shot near Liverpool.

FALCO SUBBUTEO. The Hobby.

Specimen shot at Knowsley; in the Derby Museum. One at Crosby.Mr. Mather.

FALCO SALON. The Merlin.

Wirral and Lancashire; in winter rarely. One shot at West Kirby, October, 1853.

FALCO TINNUNCULUS. Kestril or Windhover.

About Wirral and Lancashire, occasionally, but not common.

BUTEO LAGOPUS. Rough-legged Buzzard.

Several, both on this and the Cheshire side of the Mersey.—Mr. Mather. Bickerstaff and Knowsley.

Genus PERNIS.

PERNIS APIVORUS. Honey Buzzard.

A dozen at least from about the district of St. Helens, Aintree Race-ground. and elsewhere.-Mr. Mather. Rainford, 1835.

CIRCUS

Genus CIRCUS.

RUGINOSUS. The Marsh Harrier.

In the rabbit-warrens about Crosby and Formby, and probably on the Cheshire side also.-Mr. Mather.

CIRCUS CYANEUS. The Hen-harrier.

Has been shot in many places, but is becoming less plentiful.

CIRCUS MONTAGUI. Montague's Harrier.

One from Bidston Marsh.-Mr. Mather.

STRIX FLAMMEA. The White or Barn Owl.

Equally common with the last species, and breeds in the neighbourhood.

Genus SYRNIUM.

SYRNIUM STRIDULA. The Tawny Owl.

Breeds in Stanley's Wood at Eastham.-Mr. Mather.

Order INSESSORES.

First Division.-DENTIROSTRES.

Family LANIADE.

Genus LANIUS.

LANIUS EXCUBITOR. Great Grey Shrike.

Whitby Locks.-Mr. Grace. Crosby, rare. One caught some years ago striking at a noose set for larks in the winter.

LANIUS COLLURIO. Red-backed Shrike.

Mr. Mather states that he has about one specimen a year for stuffing. Breeds at Bootle.

Very common. White, mottled, and cream-coloured varieties are met with occasionally.

TURDUS TORQUATUS. The Ring Ousel.

Two specimens shot in 1852 at Hoylake—one during the time of the vernal and the other of the autumnal migration. Crosby. Probably not uncommon.

Family SYLVIADE.

Genus ACCENTOR.

ACCENTOR MODULARIS. The Hedge Accentor or Hedge Sparrow.

Occasional in Spring and Autumn. Breeds in the district.

PHENICURA TITHYS. The Black Redstart.

One killed near the Dingle in the winter.-Mr. Butterworth. A male at Storeton Quarry three years ago.-Mr. Mather.

Genus SAXICOLA.

SAXICOLA RUBICOLA. The Stonechat.

Not uncommon on moorish land, some few remaining over the winter. SAXICOLA RUBETRA. The Whinchat.

Frequent in summer-builds.

SAXICOLA ENANTHE. The Wheatear.

Pretty general, but found especially upon the sand hills round the coast.

Genus SALICARIA.

SALICARIA LOCUSTELLA. Grasshopper Warbler.

Seen by Mr. Price. Bebbington and Bidston.—Mr. Brockholes.

SALICARIA PHRAGMITIS. Sedge Warbler.

Frequent in marshy places and at the borders of ponds.

Genus CURRUCA.

CURRUCA CINEREA. The Common Whitethroat.

Very common.

CURRUCA SYLVIELLA. The Lesser Whitethroat.

Have bred at Egremont, where they have been taken.-Mr. R. Abbott.

Genus SYLVIA.

SYLVIA SYLVICOLA. The Wood Warbler.

Seen in Wirral occasionally-scarce.

SYLVIA TROCHILUS. The Willow Warbler.

Common.

SYLVIA HIPPOLAIS. The Chiff-Chaff.

A specimen shot at Upton, 1852. Very scarce.-Mr. Webster. More plentiful at New Brighton.-Mr. R. Abbott.

Genus REGULUS.

REGULUS CRISTATUS. The Golden-crested Regulus.

Not uncommon-breeds in the neighbourhood now and then. Common in Claughton firwoods in winter.-Mr. Brockholes.

Family PARIDE.

Genus PARUS.

PARUS MAJOR. The Great Tit.

Common.

PARUS CERULEUS. The Blue Tit.

Very common.

PARUS ATER. The Cole Tit.

Occasional in winter.

PARUS PALUSTRIS. The Marsh Tit.

Not unfrequent-breeds occasionally here.

PARUS CAUDATUS. Long-tailed Tit.

Not uncommon in the winter time, flying generally in families of from eight to twenty-breeds.

BOMBYCILLA GARRULA.

Family AMPELIDÆ.

Genus BOMBYCILLA.

Bohemian Waxwing.

Ormskirk, 1851.-Mr. Butterworth. Cheshire. Aigburth. Occasional, but rare.

Family MOTACILLIDE.

Genus MOTACILLA.

MOTACILLA YARRELLII. The Pied Wagtail.

Very general.

MOTACILLA BOARULA. The Grey Wagtail.

Seen now and then on their passage.

MOTACILLA FLAVA. Ray's Wagtail. Yellow Wagtail.

Common; generally breeding in corn fields.

Family ANTHIDE.

Genus ANTHUS.

ANTHUS ARBOREUS. The Tree Pipit.

Not unfrequent-breed about the district. ANTHUS PRATENSIS. The Meadow Pipit.

Not uncommon, a few staying the winter-breed here.

ANTHUS PETROSUS. The Rock Pipit.

Thinly scattered along the coast.

ANTHUS RICARDI. Richard's Pipit.

The Rev. T. Staniforth kindly communicates that he has a stuffed specimen. The bird was killed at Crosby.

Second Division.-CONIROSTRES.

ALAUDA ARVENSIS.

Family ALAUDIDÆ.

Genus ALAUDA.

The Skylark.

Very common. A drab or cream-coloured variety shot at Newton-cum-Larton. ALAUDA ARBOREA. The Woodlark.

Plentiful twenty years ago; now never seen-Mr. Mather.