The Zoologist/3rd series, vol 1 (1877)/Issue 2/Occasional Notes
OCCASIONAL NOTES.
A Curiously-coloured Weasel.—On the 25th December, 1876, a Weasel was caught in a rat-trap at Northrepps, Norfolk, which had both fore feet and one fore leg entirely white, also an oblong brown spot in the midst of the white of the abdomen. The Weasel not being subject to a seasonal change of colour like the Stoat, I think this variation from the normal colouring worth recording. The specimen was an exceedingly small female, weighing not quite two ounces.—J.H. Gurney (Northrepps, Norwich).
[In the second edition of Bell's 'British Quadrupeds' it is stated (p. 188) that "sometimes, though rarely, the Weasel becomes white in winter; and the tail, though paler than at other times, always retains its reddish tinge, as that of the Stoat does its black tip."—Ed.]
On the Occurrence of the Lemming in Newfoundland.—Since reading the interesting paper by Mr. W.D. Crotch on the "Migration and Habits of the Norwegian Lemming" (Journal of Linnean Society, vol. xiii. No. 65, p. 83), it strikes me that there is just a possibility that this interesting little animal may be found to inhabit the mountains in the northern parts of Newfoundland. It is, I believe, indisputably proved that the Lemming is an inhabitant of Greenland: then why not Newfoundland? I know of no other species of the Arvicolæ, or even of the Muridæ, which makes such a periodical, and withal suicidal, migration. In my "Notes on the Zoology of Newfoundland" (Zool. 2nd ser. 2042) will be found the following note:—"Strange to say that during a residence of two years in Newfoundland I never could obtain, nor even see, any species of mouse; although the settlers assured me that in some seasons they literally swarmed, but whether of this genus (Mus) or not I was unable to learn. Probably M. musculus, Linn., occurs on the island, but from the accounts of the settlers I should infer is not the species which is periodically seen in such large quantities: these probably belong to the genus Arvicola, or to some allied genus. If true, there is something peculiarly interesting in these periodical visitations—or, I should, perhaps, rather say migrations—of mice, for I was informed that these muscine armies come from the interior, or from that direction, towards the sea, which they boldly enter, and are consequently drowned and their bodies cast on the shore 'by thousands.'" Without entering into Mr. Crotch's theory of the probable cause of these periodical migrations of the Norwegian Lemming, I will only add that, like that species, its Newfoundland congener invariably migrates towards the west. May I, therefore, through the medium of 'The Zoologist,' call the attention of naturalists in Newfoundland to this interesting subject? In the neighbourhood of Cow Head Harbour these drowned "mice" have been observed on the land-wash "by thousands."—Henry Reeks (Thruxton, Hants).
Ornithological Notes from Cobham.—As usual, in November and December, the gamekeepers here obtained a single female Merlin, which was found dead, having been probably slightly wounded by a shot. When I say as usual, I mean that for the last three years at the same season a single female Merlin has been obtained here, and in each case accidentally, the first two having been shot in mistake for Sparrowhawks. Previously to 1874 the female Merlin was unknown here, and the first specimen was not recognised by the head keeper, although he knew the male well. It would seem that the females of this species arrive along the Thames and Medway in October and November; the males are more commonly seen in March and April. I have never seen an old blue male except in these months, and if I have seen a male Merlin at all in December or January, it has generally been in very bad weather, when the Fieldfares, Redwings and Sky Larks begin moving about in search of food. As a rule, the female Merlin is as nearly as possible the same length as the male Sparrowhawk, viz., twelve inches, but the specimen obtained last year was nearer thirteen inches, and was very white on the nape, like a hen Sparrowhawk. The female Merlin is very distinct from the male on the wing. The extreme shortness of the latter, usually between ten and eleven inches, distinguishes him at once from all other British hawks. I have generally noticed, too, that the male is more given to that struggling, fighting manner of getting through the air, which makes him look so very like a Missel Thrush in the distance. The female Merlin, on the other hand, is more graceful in her flight, though the motion of her wings in chasing a Lark over a stubble-field is sometimes inconceivably rapid. I have twice seen one chasing a Lark in this manner, though apparently not particularly anxious to catch it. On one occasion I saw a female Merlin dashing at two Partridges on the ground, and on my putting them up she instantly darted after them from a low bough on which she had been sitting. I have just said that the male Merlin does not usually exceed eleven inches in length. It is worthy of note, however, that I have seen black-backed birds from Egypt that must have been fully twelve inches long. The labels had been lost, and therefore the sex was not known for certain, but it seems possible that these may have been females assuming the male plumage, especially as they were not very rufous underneath. I may observe that the under side of the wings looks very white in the Merlin, thus affording a good mark of distinction at a distance. The male and female Kestrels keep very much apart. On December 20th I had not seen a female for many weeks, but on the 6th of that month I saw three males close together; and it is noticeable how often Kestrels and Hobbies go about in trios. I am glad to see by Mr. Rodd's letter that I am not singular in thinking that there are two races of black-clawed Kestrels, for the white-clawed Lesser Kestrel and Red-legged Falcon may more appropriately be termed "Kestrelets," as indeed they have been termed by a writer in 'The Ibis.' The extremely small appearance of the male Kestrel when flying at a great height, with wings half closed and feathers close to its body, is remarkable. It looks then no bigger than a Swift, and the fawn-colour of the under parts looks almost black. The female Kestrel may be distinguished by being slightly longer, with a thicker head and neck and much whiter under parts. The rufous of the upper parts is also paler, and looks yellow in the distance. When old, it gets very gray on the rump and tail, and I got one this year in which all trace of rufous had vanished from those parts. Even in immature plumage the male may usually be distinguished by a deeper tone of colouring on the back and darker quills. In this stage he looks a curious coppery colour when sitting. Though more slenderly built, and as a rule a shorter bird than his mate, his wings do not seem any shorter in proportion, and he consequently looks longer-winged. The reverse is the case with the Merlin, the distinction in size being manifest in all the proportions. A son of one of the keepers here saw seven Sparrowhawks together near the village of Chalk. He knows the species well, and thought they looked like an old female and six young ones. I think this was in September. 1876 was a great year for them, and I have seen more female Sparrowhawks during the past autumn than I ever remember to have seen before. I saw one from Egypt the other day which measured sixteen inches, the extra length being chiefly in the tail. It is somewhat remarkable that the Rough-legged Buzzard was unrecognized here until December 6th, 1876, the common species occurring almost every year about November 1st. On December 6th I went to a well-known haunt of the Common Buzzard to see if any were about, and I at once perceived two Buzzards hovering over a wood. I noticed several peculiarities in their appearance. Their heads were conspicuously light in colour, and their long wings and hovering flight gave them a somewhat aquiline appearance. Waiting about the place, I very soon had a good view of one which was being chased by a Hooded Crow, and presently settled on a low tree. I had now no doubt what they were. The whitish head, white basal half of the tail, whitish under side of the wings, dark band across the belly, and yellowish edgings to the upper plumage, all convinced me that they were the rough-legged species. Seen on the wing, the mottled plumage of the back presented a sort of marbled appearance, with alternate light and shade. Seen sitting, the yellowish edgings predominated, making the bird look like the light-coloured race of the Sea Eagle which is found in Egypt. The light under side of the wings, excepting one dark spot, is a very sure mark of distinction from the Common Buzzard. But, above all, the flight is unmistakably different. It is almost the difference between a Kestrel and a Sparrowhawk, the wings of Archibuteo lagopus being long and slightly pointed, instead of straight and round: this feature is very noticeable when the bird is flying away from you, the points of the wings being directed backwards. In the rapid beating of the wings, with alternate smooth glidings and shootings, the Roughlegged Buzzard resembles the Hawks and Falcons rather than the Buzzards. Sometimes even he will sweep along with curved wings almost like a Sea Gull. The head looks less heavy than in the common species. I am sorry to say that within forty-eight hours one of these fine birds was trapped at a Pigeon, which was supposed to have been killed by a Sparrowhawk. On the 18th and 19th December I saw the other. When disturbed he perched on the very top of a tall ash, from which he watched the intruder intently. While looking at the two Rough-legged Buzzards on December 6th they were joined by a third bird, uniformly brown in colour, and with shorter and rounder wing, This I have little doubt was a Common Buzzard. In November last I twice saw a Firecrest here, in company with Goldcrests among bracken. I noticed the black stripe through the eye, which readily distinguishes this bird from the commoner species.—Clifton.
Eiders in the Estuary of the Moy, County Mayo.—On the 4th of March, 1870, when visiting the island of Bartragh with two friends, our attention was attracted by a pair of large ducks resting at low water on the edge of the channel near the bar. They appeared to be much larger than Mallards, and looked almost as dark as Scoters, with the exception of the front of the neck and upper part of the breast, which were white, and a light-coloured patch on the back between the shoulders. They were very wary, and would not permit us to approach sufficiently close to identify them. I did not again see them until the 18th of April, when I observed them diving for food in the channel just opposite Moyview. They had a habit of retiring at low water to the lonely part of the channel near the bay to rest on the sand, and then, with the rising tide, returning to feed between Moyview and Castleconnor, and occasionally higher up the river, within a mile or two of Ballina. Until the 12th of May I was unable to satisfy myself as to what they really were; but on that day I obtained a close view of them from behind a wall at Killanly, while they were diving close to the shore, and I was then pretty sure that they were Eiders, a species which I had never met with here before. Being seldom on the water after the latter date, I did not see anything of these ducks until the month of July, when I observed one of them flying down the channel near Bartragh, and the salmon fishermen, to whom it was well known as the "big duck," told me they had remarked only one bird frequenting the river all the season, its companion having disappeared shortly after I had seen the pair together on the 12th of May. Early in September I saw the single bird again near Moy Fort, within a few hundred yards of the Shipping Quay; and on the 6th of October, as I was returning home from Ballina, I observed it swimming up a small bay ending in a narrow marshy creek near Killanly. It being a very high spring-tide, the creek was completely filled up to the mouth of the little stream, and if the duck got up the narrow part between the banks, it would be concealed from view of the road, and would probably rest there, for some time at least, while the tide was high. Being determined, if possible, to obtain this bird, having already failed so often in doing so, I hastened home for my boat; but as all the men were employed on a distant part of the farm I had no one to row. Not to lose a chance, therefore, two young ladies accompanied me in the boat, and we rowed up the little bay. We saw nothing of the bird until we got nearly to the head of the creek, when he appeared swimming down between the rushy banks. Before coming within shot, however, he dived, passing right under the boat, and did not show himself until outside of us, when he dived again, so quickly after rising to the surface that I found it extremely difficult to shoot him. However, after a smart and most exciting chase of nearly a quarter of a mile, he became rather blown, and being unable to dive so quickly as at first, I got a fair shot and knocked him over, not at all too soon, for my crew were getting exhausted. It proved to be an immature male Eider, and when presenting it to the Royal Dublin Society's Museum, I asked the taxidermist to ascertain whether there were any old wounds such as would account for the bird not migrating to its usual summer haunts. He afterwards assured me he had discovered no trace whatever of any wound beyond the recent shot-marks, and that the bird was in first-rate condition. In the month of December following, my friend Capt. Dover shot a beautiful male Eider near Bartragh, and he thought it probably might have been the companion bird of the one I shot, which had disappeared from the river shortly after I had last seen them together on the 12th of May. Both specimens are now in the Museum of the Royal Dublin Society. The Eider Duck is of very rare occurrence on the Irish coast, and especially so on this part of it, these being the first of the species that I have met with, although I have been shooting on the estuary here every winter for many years past; and Thompson, in his 'Birds of Ireland,' mentions only three specimens of this bird as having been obtained in Ireland—one, a fine male, obtained near Ballbriggan, on the Dublin coast, in May, 1840, and two others shot on the Mayo coast in January, 1842.—Robert Warren (Moyview, Ballina, Co. Mayo).
Ornithological Notes from Essex.— A considerable number of the Lesser Tern bred last season on the Landguard Fort Common, Felixstow. This no doubt is attributable to the protection now afforded them by Act of Parliament. Amongst the wading birds and sea-fowl shot during August and September last on the Dovrecourt beach, on the flats of the river Stour, the salt-marshes at Ramsay, and other places on the east coast, were Knots, Sanderlings, Green Sandpipers, Greenshanks, Curlew Sandpipers, Temminck's Stints, Red-necked and Gray Phalaropes. A Little Gull also was killed on the Dovrecourt beach on August 24th, and a Sandwich Tern on the Pye Sand on September 12th. On August 23rd two Kentish Plovers were seen, and one of them was shot on the beach at Dovrecourt. A Common Skua was obtained just outside Harwich Harbour on September 12th, and a female Eider Duck in the River Orwell on the 28th October. During the week ending November 4th a great number of Short-eared Owls were killed in the neighbourhood of Harwich. Between the 6th and 10th of that month seven Purple Sandpipers were shot on the stone breakwater, Harwich; while last, though not least, a Spoonbill was shot on the mud-flats of the River Stour on October 20th, by a wild-fowler named Porter, who unfortunately consigned the bird to the spit.—F. Kerry (The Bank, Harwich).
Rare Birds in Wilts and Dorset.—On the 22nd October last a Dotterell was observed on the downs in this parish by a parishioner whose accuracy I can vouch for: he whistled to it as it flew past him, and it settled some distance off in the same track he was pursuing, when he rose it a second time. The Dotterel is annually getting rarer, I am sorry to say, on our Wiltshire Downs; but they are still occasionally seen on the Plain near Salisbury, both in spring and autumn, though not so regularly or in such numbers of late years as formerly. But I am glad to be able to assert that they still form one of that group of comparative rarities in the ornithological catalogue which makes the broad downs of Wiltshire so attractive to the lover of birds, the Curlew, Thick-knee, Dotterel and Golden Plover still being found amongst us, while both the Great and Lesser Bustard have visited us during the last ten years. In the previous month I saw a fine Hoopoe, which had been shot at Branksome Tower, near Bournemouth, on the 15th September: it was in the hands of Mr. Green, a birdstuffer there. I also obtained in the spring of last year, from the neighbouring parish of Broadchalke, a fine specimen of the Great Gray Shrike (Lanius excubitor), which had been killed in that parish in Easter week: it is, as far as I can judge, an adult female.—A.P. Morres (Britford Vicarage, Salisbury).
The Time of Day at which Birds lay their Eggs.—I am inclined to think that birds lay their eggs rather earlier than has been stated, although not, as some affirm, in the middle of the night, and for this reason;—Some time ago I wished to see what time a certain Green Woodpecker laid, and for three mornings I went about 5.15, and an egg was always there. The next morning I went a little after four o'clock, when she flew out of the hole, but there was no egg; in another hour and a half, however, it had been deposited. Again, when out in the spring mornings about six o'clock, I nearly always noticed that nests previously found had each an extra egg in them.—C. Matthew Prior.
Benefit of the Wild Bird Protection Act.—Mr. Edward Hart, the well-known naturalist, of Christchurch, informed me not long ago that in the spring of last year (1876), during May, there was a flock of some five hundred Bartailed Godwits in the Christchurch Estuary, which remained there for some ten days or a fortnight: they were all in full summer plumage, and presented to a bird-preserver a most enticing shot, but the Act duly protected them. He had been in the business, he told me, many years, and had lived at Christchurch all his life, more than thirty years, and had never seen a similar sight before. This in itself speaks volumes in behalf of the Act.—A.P. Morres.
Scandinavian Form of the Dipper in East Yorkshire.—In my communication to 'The Zoologist' on this variety of the Dipper (2nd ser. 1871) I expressed my opinion that the very few Dippers which had been procured in this district would probably turn out to be Cinclus melanogaster. Knowing that a Dipper had been shot at Easington, and preserved by Mr. Lawton, of that place, when in that neighbourhood a short time ago I called in to have a look at it, and my surmise, in this instance, turned out to be correct, as it is a fine specimen of the black-breasted Dipper. It was shot on the 24th October, 1874.—F. Boyes (Beverley).
Roller in Ireland.—We have much pleasure in being able to record what we believe to be the second instance of the occurrence of this bird in Ireland. A fine specimen has been forwarded to us for preservation, shot some miles from Carrick-on-Shannon. It was observed from the drawingroom window, pursued by a number of Magpies, when it was followed by the observer and shot. From being much injured internally, we were unable to determine the sex, but believe it to be a female. The stomach contained the remains of numerous small beetles.—Williams & Son (Taxidermists, 2, Dame Street, Dublin).
[In Thompson's 'Natural History of Ireland' (i., p. 366), three instances of the reported occurrence of the Roller in Ireland are mentioned, but the author states that, at the date of the publication of his work, "no example of the bird, unquestionably killed in this island, had to his knowledge come under the inspection of the naturalist."—Ed.]
Migration of the Pied Flycatcher.—The individuals of this species which occur on our east coast during the autumnal migration are invariably described as being immature birds only. I think it very likely that observers may have been mistaken in this matter, as at this season the sexes, both mature and immature, are scarcely distinguishable. In his 'Birds of Northumberland and Durham' (p. 79), Mr. Hancock has very clearly pointed out the close resemblance in the plumage of the sexes in both the young and old birds. "They are," he says, "after the autumnal moult, all of the same obscure brown tint above; the males, however, may be known by the white hand on the front of the head, by the white bar on the wing being broader than in the female, and by the basal portion of the tail being a little darker, and consequently by the white of this part being more conspicuous." The subject of the immigration of this species on the N.E. coast in the autumn is worth looking into by ornithologists and observers living in these districts.—John Cordeaux (Great Cotes, Ulceby).
Pied Flycatcher in Yorkshire.—Until the summer of 1874 I was quite unacquainted with the Pied Flycatcher, never having seen or heard of this bird in Airedale. In that year, however, I happened to go into Wharfedale, which is separated from Airedale by three or four miles only of hilly moorland, "wildly majestic," and there to my surprise I found it breeding plentifully. In fact, it was commoner there than the Spotted Flycatcher. I saw no less than six pairs. This local distribution of the species strikes me as being somewhat remarkable.—E.P. Butterfield (Wilsden).
Reported Occurrence of the Golden Eagle in Durham.—The following note from a friend at West Hartlepool is dated November 15th, 1876:—"On Friday last a Golden Eagle was seen hovering about Seaton Carew, and was shot at by several persons. It afterwards went over in the direction of Throston Cars, and may have found its way to the Dene, as it was going in that direction." Now although the date is earlier, it is in all probability the same bird as that mentioned by Mr. Cordeaux (p. 9). I had almost resolved not to send you this note, for I am convinced that secondhand information is of very little value—at least, it will nearly always be found to be misleading. As an instance of this, I may mention that a young Eagle was said to have been shot at Seaton, near Seaham Harbour, about the 1st of November, and a paragraph relating the circumstance appeared in the 'Durham Chronicle,' the size of the bird being also given— the expanse of wing put down at six feet seven inches. I happened to meet the writer of the paragraph, and in answer to questions I put to him, he stated that the bird was "spotted all over," whence I concluded it might be the Spotted Eagle. Starting for Seaham Harbour the next morning, I asked the birdstuffer to show me the bird in question, when he pointed to a case which contained a Rough-legged Buzzard, a young bird, and a very dark specimen, with scarcely a spot upon it. On my way home I heard of another Eagle that had been trapped at Colehill, some four miles from Castle Eden, my informant saying I might judge of its size when it took a three-dozen hamper to hold it, in which it had been sent off alive to a naturalist at Beverley. I hope this bird has come under the eye of Mr. Boyes, and I am much mistaken if it does not turn out to be a Buzzard also. It would appear that an unusual number of the larger birds of prey are just now paying us a visit, and the keepers, as usual, are doing their best to kill as many as possible.—John Sclater (Castle Eden, Durham).
Scarcity of the Wood Pigeon in Durham.—I have previously remarked (Zool. 2nd ser. 4819) on the comparative scarcity of the Wood Pigeon in the neighbourhood of Castle Eden. The same remarks are applicable for the past year, and I wish to ask whether this bird has been observed to be less common in other parts of the country. Can it be that the Stock Dove is destined to take its place here?—Id.
[Our correspondent omits to say whether the Stock Dove has been observed to have become more numerous than formerly.—Ed.]
Rooks attacking Acorns.—I can corroborate, from personal observation, the Editor's remarks in the last number of 'The Zoologist' concerning the attacks on acorns by the Rooks. Close to this Vicarage are the grounds of Mr. F.J.E. Jervoise, in whose garden stand some ten or twelve fine old Ilex oaks, and it was only about a fortnight ago, in the middle of December, that I watched for some minutes a whole flock of Rooks busily engaged on the Ilex trees, flying from branch to branch, and balancing themselves as best they could on the extremities of the outer branches while they searched for or secured the coveted prize. It was a scene of wonderful bustle and activity; and I may mention that a couple of Jackdaws emulated the Rooks in their exertions. It is a common practice with them here, and the rookery being in the adjacent field I have often observed the same scene. I regret I have never accurately noticed what the Rooks did with the acorns— whether they actually swallowed them or not; on another occasion I will notice this point.— A.P. Morres.
Rooks attacking Acorns.—There are three oak trees close to our windows, one being not more than ten or twelve feet distant, the branches of which in autumn are covered with acorns. As long as I can remember Rooks have been in the habit of visiting them every season in order to pull off the acorns, six or seven Rooks being often on the trees at a time, and occasionally quite a flock. On alighting on a branch a Rook seizes an acorn in its bill, and, if it is fast on and green, gives it a twist, and flapping its wings wrenches it off and flies away with it. I am of opinion that they eat the acorns, and do not carry them off to extract a worm, as Mr. Harting suggests, since I never found a maggot or worm in any of the acorns, though I have examined them with a knife over and over again. However, not having seen a Rook actually swallow an acorn, and not having shot any for the purpose of examination, I am unable to give direct and positive evidence as to the object of their attacks. I was always under the impression that the Rooks conveyed them away to some open field or exposed bank, as they do young potatoes, there to enjoy a meal without fear of being molested or disturbed, having at the same time something firm against which to peck the acorn or potato, as the case might be. Rooks, as a rule, do not swallow even small potatoes whole, but peck them in pieces. I was ignorant of the fact that the acorn has not been generally mentioned as the food of the Rook until Mr. Harting drew attention to it in 'The Zoologist.' There are several walnut trees not far from the oaks, but I never saw the Rooks on them, nor did they ever alight on the ground to pick up an acorn, but perhaps that may be accounted for by the trees being so near a dwelling house.—Richard M. Barrington (Fassaroe, Bray, Co. Wicklow).
Spotted Redshank in Hampshire.—Three years ago I heard that a specimen of this rare bird was killed in the meadows over here, but as I neither saw it myself nor learnt the name of the person who shot it, I considered the report doubtful. I am now able, however, to record a well-authenticated instance of its occurrence, a specimen having been shot on the 4th of September by a friend of mine. It was very much mutilated, but he gave it to me, and I spared no pains to make it a tolerable specimen. Messrs. Marshall and Stansell, of Taunton, came to see me the day it was killed, and they saw the bird in the flesh. Its weight was five ounces and a quarter, and the stomach contained two worm-like creatures, such as I believe I have seen upon the sea-shore—hence the bird could not have got them in this neighbourhood. The most noticeable characteristic about the appearance of this specimen is the white triangular markings on the outer web of many of the dark feathers on the wing-coverts and tail, which give them a scalloped looking outline; beside this the tail-feathers are barred very prettily with pale gray. The back is white, as well as the throat and cheeks—in fact, this colour extends to the top of the head, but is intersected by a conspicuous dusky streak which runs from the base of the upper mandible to the eye; crown of the head, back and sides of the neck, more or less gray; breast and belly white, dappled with shades of pale brown and gray. The bill is nearly two inches and a half long, and slender, of a dusky colour, except the base of the lower mandible, which is red. The legs were red, long, and slender, being bare of feathers one inch and a quarter above the knee. I have been particular in describing this species, as I believe it is the first that has occurred in this neighbourhood, although it is reported to have been killed on more than one occasion in Christchurch Harbour. That this species, or any others which love the sea-shore, should sometimes wander up the course of the River Avon, is not to be wondered at, but its occurrence here may perhaps be worth noting.—G.B. Corbin (Ringwood, Hants).
Singular Variety of the Common Guillemot.—On the 29th November last I was shooting about four miles out from Poole Harbour-bar, and amongst a lot of other birds I got a very singular variety of the Guillemot. Its bill and legs were of a bright yellowish red colour; the feet yellow also, with white nails. Mr. Hart, of Christchurch, who is setting up the bird, has sent me the following description of it:—Length, 18 inches 10 lines; breadth, 28 inches; bill, from forehead, 2 in.—from gape, 2 in. 11 lines; a streak running back from the eyes to a distance of 1¾ inch. Upper parts of bird, wings, tail, &c., dusky brownish black; secondaries tipped with white; under parts, white, &c.; legs, yellowish red; webs, dusky; nails, white. In fact, an ordinary full-sized Guillemot in winter plumage. Subjoined is a note from Professor Newton, which will no doubt be interesting to your readers:—"You are lucky to have obtained that very singular variety of the Guillemot. I have heard of a similar example before, but at this moment I only recollect one instance of it. This is noticed in the defunct German ornithological magazine 'Naumania' for 1857 (p. 437), by Dr. Krüper, who was informed by Pastor Jon Jonsson that such a bird was killed on the I3th July, 1843, at Grimsey, North Iceland. It is said to have been just like an ordinary Guillemot, but had a yellowish red (gelbrothen) bill and feet. The young is said to have had white feet, which would most likely have turned yellow with age."—T.M. Pike (Westport, Wareham, Dorset).
[This singular variety of the Common Guillemot was exhibited by Prof. Newton at a meeting of the Zoological Society held on the 2nd January last, and attracted considerable attention from the ornithologists then present. The bird is in winter plumage, and, in the absence of any other explanation, the pale colour of the bill and legs must be regarded as a variation akin to albinism, or an absence of the normal colouring matter owing probably to some disease.—Ed.]
Squacco Heron in Killarney.—The capture of this rare visitant at Killarney, on June 10th, 1875, having been only recorded in 'The Field' of June 19th, 1875, under initials, I beg to offer the following details, in order to establish its authenticity. I was fishing with a friend on the Lanne, a river connecting the Killarney Lakes with the sea at Castlemaine Harbour, and was just nearing a quiet and unfrequented part of the river where the Duntor Woods overshadow it, when my attention was attracted by what appeared at a distance to be a snow-white bird rising out of a reedy marsh near the bank of the river. It flew with a slow and measured flight, passing so near as to enable me to see the pale buff of its back, though its wings were snowy white. I at once knew it must be a stranger. It pitched on a low tree overhanging the water, but having no gun with me I knew it was useless following it, though on my return I saw it standing on one leg on a sandy strand. On the 10th I lost no time in crossing the lakes and speeding down the Lanne, hardly expecting, however, again to see the rare stranger; but fortune favoured me, and on the same strand where I had last seen him standing I again found him. He allowed the boat to glide past within a few yards of him. I landed and walked up to him, but so careless was he of my approach that I had to allow him a few yards' law to avoid blowing him to pieces. I hurried into the stream and captured my prize, to find him a beautiful specimen of the Squacco Heron (Ardea comata). A boy herding cattle in the neighbourhood told me he had noticed the bird for some time past. I sent it for preservation to Mr. Thomas Cooke, of Museum Street, London, by whom it was beautifully mounted, and in whose shop it was seen and admired by many ornithologists. It is for the present deposited in the Ornithological Gallery of the Museum of the Royal Dublin Society.—Arthur H. Bowles (99, Lower Mount Street, Dublin).
[The Squacco Heron seems to be a rare bird in Ireland. A specimen was shot many years ago near Youghal, as recorded by Thompson (Nat. Hist. Ireland, Birds, vol. ii. p. 158), and another, also procured in the neighbourhood of Youghal, is in the Museum of the Royal Dublin Society. So far as we are aware, the subject of the present notice makes the third now recorded to have been met with in the Sister Isle. Seeing that the true home of this species is South-Western Asia, Egypt and Nubia, it is rather singular that the only specimens met with in Ireland should all have been found in the South-west of the island.—Ed.]
Pallas' Sand Grouse in Ireland.—No small interest attaches to the appearance of this bird in Ireland, as recorded at p. 24. Previous to its sporadic occurrence in the year 1859 it was unknown as a European bird; the remarkable irruption of more than 700 specimens in 1863, so ably chronicled by Professor Newton ('Ibis,' 1864, pp.185–222), occurred over a vast area, but has never since been repeated. Now that it has at last reappeared so far west as Kildare, it is extremely probable that this curious Asiatic species has been met with in other places, and it behoves every naturalist to record every authentic instance of its occurrence. The uncertainty which surrounds every question of migration can only be dispelled by diligent colligation of facts.—Henry T. Wharton.
Magpies flocking in Winter.—In 'The Zoologist' for November (2nd ser. 5164) I observe Mr. E.P.P. Butterfield laments the wholesale slaughter of Magpies, and their extinction in so many districts. I have great pleasure in stating that in North Oxfordshire, at least, the day of their extirpation is far distant. In a single walk I have often seen as many as ten, and sometimes many more. In the winter they associate in flocks of from five to thirty-four; I never saw more together than the latter number at one time. There is very little game preserving here, owing to the want of arable land, and therefore Magpies have ample inducement to remain.—C. Matthew Prior.
Migration of Birds at Heligoland.—With reference to the notes from Heligoland included in my paper in the January number of 'The Zoologist,' Mr. Gätke has subsequently informed me that the Phylloscopus included with a query (Oct. 24th) was seen by him at close quarters in his garden, and that beyond a doubt it was Phylloscopus fuscatus, a species which has occurred before in Heligoland. On November 4th Mr. Gätke saw another rare visitor, but not having a gun at hand was unable to procure it; this was Parus Kamschatkensis, with the back entirely of a light bluish ashy gray colour—the very image, as he says, of Mr. Dresser's figure in 'The Birds of Europe.' There is a typographical error in my paper, p. 10, twenty-ninth line, under the head of Great Gray Shrike—for "Mr. Boyes mentions ten" read "Mr. Boyes mentions two" of these birds.—John Cordeaux.
Food of the Dartford Warbler.—Apropos of Mr. Tyacke's note on the Dartford Warbler (p. 23), I may remark that this bird generally feeds its young on the body of a large yellow moth. I have observed several pairs carrying a light substance in their mouths to the nest, and on shooting one bird from each of two nests, I discovered that the food was the same in both cases. The wings of the moth were removed, and I was not entomologist enough to name the species, but I observed that the birds hunted for their prey among the lower part of the stems of the furze. During the summer Dartford Warblers may generally be found in most of the large patches of furze that are scattered over the South Downs, although, being remarkably shy, they are liable to escape observation, for on the slightest sign of danger they immediately seek the shelter of the bushes. In the winter they seem to be of a roving disposition. I have met with them several times amongst the stunted thorn-bushes and straggling furze on the beach between Eastbourne and Pevensey, and, when rabbit-shooting further inland, I have seen them occasionally driven out by the beagles from cover, where no one would ever expect to find them.—E.T. Booth (Dyke Road, Brighton).
Mode of Progression of the Puffin.—Your correspondent, the Rev. Julian G. Tuck, says (2nd ser. 4958) he should be glad to know if any readers of 'The Zoologist' have observed the power of the Puffin not only to stand erect on its feet, but also to walk on the rock with apparent ease. I have observed this many times when lying on the top of the cliffs at Flamborough; and indeed it must of necessity be so, otherwise how could these birds reach the holes in which they breed? They alight on the ledges, perhaps a yard or more from the entrance of the cleft in the rock in which they may have their eggs or young, and then deliberately walk along the edge and into the said cleft or fissure. These large rents in the rock afford shelter for a number of Puffins. I remember on one occasion noticing a crack in the road quite close to where I was lying. It had only a narrow entrance, and two Puffins, apparently young birds, were continually looking out, waiting, no doubt, for the old ones to bring them food, for I believe the young do not leave the rock until fully fledged. During the time I stayed several Puffins pushed themselves past these two and walked inside. These birds frequently breed on the highest part of the cliffs. There are certain places where you can creep to the very edge of the cliffs and watch the birds come up almost close against you; and I have noticed that if they miss their foothold on reaching the ledge on which they intended to alight, they have apparently no power to raise themselves any higher to regain it or try any other ledge, but turn round and sail out to sea again, some of them dropping a considerable distance before being able to recover themselves; so that it is the impetus they have gained which carries them upward, and having reached their highest elevation their dead weight quickly brings them down again, unless they happen to reach the ledge. This is the case, I think, with all the Alcidæ.—F. Boyes (Beverley).
Nesting of the Brambling in Perthshire.—Treating of the Brambling, in his new edition of Yarrell's 'History of British Birds,' Professor Newton says (vol. ii., p. 77), "They are not known with certainty to have bred with us except in captivity." And again, "A long search in various publications fails to shew that it is often seen later than the middle of March, by which time it has usually left Britain; one must therefore receive with caution the statements which have been made as to its breeding in England." Under these circumstances, it is with much pleasure that I now bring to the notice of naturalists an undoubted instance of this bird nesting in Scotland. In the summer of 1866, while fishing on the river Lyon, in Perthshire, I had occasion to climb a beech tree to release the line which had become entangled in the branches, and while so engaged a female Brambling was disturbed from her nest, containing three eggs, which was placed close to the stem of the tree. As I was anxious to procure the young, I left her, and on again visiting the spot in about a fortnight the nest was empty; and, judging by its appearance, I should be of opinion that the young birds had been dragged out by a cat. I have mentioned this fact in the recently published Catalogue of my collection of British Birds.— E.T. Booth (Dyke Road, Brighton).
Correction of an Error.—In the editorial note appended to Mr. Gatcombe's communication on the Blue Shark off Plymouth, it was stated, through a typographical error, that this shark is "not common during the pilchard season off the Cornish coast." The words should have been "not uncommon," &c.
On the Naturalization of the Edible Frog (Rana esculenta) in Norfolk.—In 1859 I announced in 'The Zoologist' (1st ser. 6538–6540) the discovery in 1853, by my brother Mr. Edward Newton and myself, of a colony of Edible Frogs in Norfolk, and at the same time I was satisfactorily able to account for its existence. The colony was afterwards sought for by Mr. Southwell, but in vain; and nothing had been heard for many years of the colonists or their descendants. It was therefore with great pleasure that on the 30th of May last, when I happened to arrive at a small station on the Thetford and Watton Railway, my ears were greeted by some well-remembered notes, which I found to proceed from a little pond only a few yards off, and I soon gained a sight of some of the performers. I was fortunate in being in Lord Walsingham's company at the time, and he, entering at once into the interest of the matter, contrived after many unsuccessful attempts to bring to land a single example of the species, which is now in the Norwich Museum. On enquiring of a man who came from a house close by, he said that he had known these noisy Frogs so long as he had lived there—more than a dozen years, and by his means other examples were soon after sent to Mr. Southwell at Norwich. On reference to my former note, it will be seen that this species has thus made good its existence in Norfolk for at least thirty-four years, and I cannot doubt that the last colony I found is one of the results of Mr. Berney's original importations, as that gentleman has informed me that he has not introduced any more in the meanwhile, and I know of no one else who is likely to have done so. From Lord Walsingham I have since learnt that he has ascertained that the species is pretty generally diffused in a south-westerly direction from the place where we found it, and therefore its naturalization in the county seems to be accomplished.—Alfred Newton (Magdalene College, Cambridge).