526 On the Ornithology of Blackburn 



least in many, parts of England. In the preserves of Sir Thomas 

 Hesketh, of Ruffbrd Hall, a few miles south of Preston, the gold- 

 en pheasant has become naturalized to a considerable extent ; be- 

 ing rigidly preserved they multiply with great rapidity. Last 

 shooting season but one I saw, in the hands of a bird preserver in 

 Preston, a young male golden pheasant, a bird of the year, which 

 had been shot by mistake by the gamekeeper of Sir Thomas Hes- 

 keth. I say by mistake, as the strictest injunctions are issued to 

 prevent their destruction. It was a most beautiful bird ; but ne- 

 ver having seen it in that state of plumage, I could not make it 

 out. It appeared to be in size about one third less than the hen 

 of the common pheasant. 



Order Y.—GRALLjE. 



Fam. i. — Pressirostres. 



Gen. Charadrius. — Sub-gen. Charadrius. 



1. Charadrius Pluvialis. Golden Plover. Common. These birds 



breed on most of the moorlands mentioned in my topographical 

 sketch. 



2. Charadrius Morinellus. Dottrel. Rare. The only specimens I 



possess were shot near Lytham. I believe these birds build in the 

 mountains in Bowland, but am not quite certain : they certainly 

 breed in Dent, that is, on Pemgant and the neighbouring moun- 

 tains ; as, a short time ago, I saw both old and young specimens 

 sent from these localities. 



3. Charadrius Hiaticula. Ringed Dottrel. Abundant about the es- 



tuary of the Ribble. 

 Gen. Vanellus. — Sub-gen. 1. Squatarola. 



4. Squatarola cinerea. Grey Plover. Very rare now, though I re- 



member, several years back, when I was in the habit of shooting 

 waterfowl on the long line of coast between the embouchures of 

 the Ribble and Mersey, seeing them in large flocks, and occasion- 

 ally bringing down three or four at a shot. 

 Sub-gen. 2. Vanellus. 



5. Vanellus cristatus. Lapwing. Very common. They breed abun- 



dantly on the moors. 

 Gen. H^matopus. 



6. Hcematopus Ostralegus. Oyster-catcher. Though not numerous, 



they are generally to be met with on the coast. 



Fam. ii. — Cultirostres. 



Gen. Ardea. — Sub-gen. 1. Ardea. 



7. Ardea cinerea. Common Heron. Frequently met with, though I 



am not aware of any heronry in this neighbourhood nearer than 

 one on the banks of the Wyre, some twenty miles north. 

 Sub-gen. 2. Botaurus. 



8. Botaurus stellaris. Bittern. Rare. I have a splendid specimen 



shot at Heysham, on the southern shore of the Bay of Morecambe. 



Fam. iii. — Longirostres. 



Gen. Ibis. — Sub-gen. Numenius. 



9. Numenius arquata. Curlew. Common enough on the coast. They 



breed on the mountains in Bowland. I have frequently encoun- 

 tered them on the moors in the breeding season. 

 10. JNumenius phceopus. Whimbrel. Rare. 



