and Cape Town. It should be remembered that the true Quagga is meant, and not the comparatively common Bonte-Quagga, or Burchell's Zebra. All assistance would be gratefully acknowledged should enough information be gathered to publish in book form.—Graham Renshaw (Sale Bridge House, Sale, Manchester).
AVES.
Blackcap in March.—On March 12th I heard a Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) singing among the thorn-trees on Clifton Down, and had a good view of the bird more than once. It is natural to suppose that it has spent the winter in England.—Herbert C. Playne (Clifton College).
Wild Swans in North Ireland.—It may interest some of the readers of 'The Zoologist' to learn that there was an unusually large migration of Wild Swans to Loughs Swilly and Foyle this winter. Mr. D.C. Campbell, of Templemore Park, Londonderry, writes me "that one hundred and fifty have been seen in one flock on Lough Foyle, and quite a number have been frequenting the river some miles above Derry." Besides those noticed by me near Bartragh in 'The Zoologist' (ante, p. 39), several other flocks have been seen and heard passing to the various lakes during this winter. — Robert Warren (Moyview, Ballina).
Unusual Numbers of Green Plover in Worcestershire.—During the winter large flocks of Green Plover (Vanellus vulgaris) in this county have been an unusual occurrence. They began to arrive in October, and during November, December, and January the flocks were enormous. They seemed to be plentiful over the whole of the northern half of the county, every suitable field having a certain number on it, the water meadows especially being very much frequented by them. Golden Plover also, which I consider rare in this part of the county, were, during November and December, quite common. For years the numbers of Green Plover in this district seemed to be decreasing for no apparent reason; I was therefore much pleased to see them return in such numbers. I might also mention that Bramblings and Redwings arrived in greater numbers than they have done for ten years, and remained all through the winter, feeding with other Finches on stubbles, except for the first fortnight after their arrival, when, as usual, they fed on the beech-mast.— H.E. Howard (Stone House, near Kidderminster).
Bleater Snipes (Gallinago cœlestis) near Aberdeen.—My attention was directed on the 5th of last July to a male of this species, which was producing the peculiar noise which gives these birds their name. I again saw a pair of these Snipe on July 16th, which led me to suppose that they were breeding in the locality. Although they were so often seen through the season as to show that they were resident, neither nest nor young were seen to prove that they had nested. The occurrence of these two birds remaining
