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Love-antics and dances of birds. Lowne, B.T., on Musca vomitoria. Loxia, characters of young of.
Luxuriant parasites abound: here they form domes of flashing green, there they surround with verdure decayed trunks, and not unfrequently cluster into sylvan bowers, under which grateful sight! appears succulent grass. From the thinner thorns the bell-shaped nests of the Loxia depend, waving in the breeze, and the wood resounds with the cries of bright-winged choristers.
Gallienne, in his remarks published with the list, says "The Bullfinch occasionally breeds in Jersey, but is rarely seen in Guernsey," so far agreeing with Miss Carey's note in the 'Zoologist, but he does not add anything about Sark. There is no specimen in the Museum. COMMON CROSSBILL. Loxia curvirostra, Linnaeus. French, "Bec-croisé," "Bec-croisé commun."
We stopped to see the bird colony, which greatly delighted them all, and Ernest declared they belonged to the species of Loxia gregaria, the sociable grosbeak. He pointed out to us their wonderful instinct in forming their colony in the midst of the candle-berry bushes, on which they feed. We filled two bags with these berries, and another with guavas, my wife proposing to make jelly from them.
In regard to thrushes, shrikes, and woodpeckers, see Mr. Blyth, in Charlesworth's 'Mag. of Nat. Hist. vol. i. 1837, p. 304; also footnote to his translation of Cuvier's 'Regne Animal, p. 159. I give the case of Loxia on Mr. Blyth's information. On thrushes, see also Audubon, 'Ornith. Biog. vol. ii. p. 195.
An improvement of another nature in the comfort of the dwelling is introduced by the Baya, and if the facts narrated are correct they are the most marvellous of all. It is a question of lighting up a nest by means of Glow-worms. The Melicourvis baya inhabits India; it is a small bird related to the Loxia, already spoken of in this book.
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