Retrospective Criticism. 733 



nor have I ever known it to breed here; though we have 

 some very favourable and retired situations for that purpose, 

 were it inclined to stay. In Montagu's Ornithological Dic- 

 tionary it is stated that *' this bird continues with us all the 

 year." It may probably remove farther north to breed, with- 

 out leaving our island : but I think it must come from a colder 

 climate, as it spends only the winter months here. Perhaps 

 some observer of nature, who may reside near the summer 

 haunts of this bird, will oblige us with further information on 

 the subject, as it appears doubtful whether the bird leaves the 

 kingdom or not. — T, G. Chipping Norton^ Oxon, May 15. 

 1832. 



Brief remarks on the water rail occur in a note, p. 68., and 

 inp. 299.— J. Z). 



The Food of the Scoter Duck {A^nas nigra Linn., Oidemia 

 nigra Flem. ; and the Food of the Eider Duck {K^nas mollissima 

 Lin., Somateria mollissima Flem.). — I have this spring had an| 

 opportunity of examining the contents of the stomach of th^> 

 scoter and that of the eider duck. The stomach of the scoter] 

 was filled with a few whole middle-sized shells of the Tellina| 

 solidula, a number of fragments of the same, and broken Cavrt 

 dium edule Lin., or common cockle. The stomach of th^^ 

 eider contained only fragments of small testacea. — Thomas 

 Allis. York, 8th of the Bth month{ May), 1832. 



Additional remarks on the scoter duck occur in p^BS. ^fift 

 the current Volume. — J. D. '^?:ifb%i 



The Food of the larger Grebes (species of Laiha/m^s germs 

 Podiceps). — In the stomach of the larger grebes I have 

 uniformly found a considerably sized ball, composed princi-c 

 pally of feathers. Are the feathers composing this ball pluck^<| ^ 

 by each bird from its own body in pluming itself? or are thejti 

 the feathers of birds which the grebe may have eaten,? — Id* - 



The Fork-tailed Petrel {ProcelldriaLedchil (p. 282,283* 380. 

 589.) — The present year seems to have been singularly proj^J 

 ductive in birds of this species. I have one which was foun% 

 dead in a field near this place. — Francis Qrj^^ MQtni^ 

 Charmouth, Dorset, Sept. 1832. >., . blu j .ix 



The Fork-tailed Petrel taken at Birmingham^* — In p. 2§3. 

 mention is made of two stormy petrels taken at Birmir^ghfti^;- 

 and it is stated that of these, " one was foundinj^Brgd^pdj 

 Street, and is now placed in Weaver's museunb^b SiopIC 

 the appearance of that notice I have seen Mr, W^lfPSi^^tei 

 informed me that the specimen now in liis museum* h m< 

 individual of the fork-tailed petrel. — W. T, Bree. Allesley 

 Rectory, June 25, 1832. -iji',,'ot^ hii "^ j.»^J'] ...liig^nf nA * 



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