RARE BIRDS KILLED IN THE WINTER OF 1837-8. 4 If) 



An exotic species which is brought very abundantly to the London market, is 

 the Willow Ptarmigan {JLagopus saliceti), a larger and Jstouter^ bird than the 

 White Ptarmigan of Britain, for which it is often substituted, undesignedly, in 

 collections. In their summer plumage, these two species are very readily dis- 

 tinguished ; and in winter, also, the great majority of specimens may be told, at 

 the first glance, by a practised eye ; but a few occasionally occur (I am told) of 

 intermediate character, which are not so easy to identify. In all that I have 

 seen, however, in their winter costume, the superior size and bulk of L. saliceti, 

 its more densely-clad feet and tarsi, thicker bill, and the absence of black between 

 the bill and eyes, have afforded ready means of discrimination. 



A season or two ago, Mr. Bartlett obtained, in the market, a recent specimen 

 of Salicaria turdoides, which is still in his possession. This bird, which is very 

 like S. arundinacea, but on a larger scale, is rather common in the low countries, 

 and may occur, it is not unlikely, now and then in the markets of Essex, where 

 there is considerable chance of its being overlooked. Its size (but this only) has 

 caused it to be ranged among the Thrushes by superficial naturalists. 



Were I to enumerate the acknowledged British species, of moderately rare 

 appearance, which have been met with at different London poulterers during the 

 past twelvemonths, my list, already tolerably long, would be considerably ex- 

 tended. It must suffice, for the present, to advert very briefly to one or two 

 others, selected from among the most interesting. 



A young Black-throated Loon (Colymbus Arcticus) occurred in the autumn, 

 and an old specimen early in January, 1836. The former measured 2 feet 3^ 

 inches in length, and 3 feet 8<| inches in spread of wing. 



An Avocet, and a Greenshank, in full summer aspect, both very seldom to be 

 purchased here, were brought in the spring ; and two Dusky Sandpipers ( Totanus 

 fuscus) at the end of August. In September, twenty Curlew Tringas were 

 obtained together, all young birds of the year except one ; and about half a dozen 

 of Tringa minuta. 



Astonishing numbers of the Pomarine Skua ( Lestris pomarinus) appeared in 

 November, both on the eastern and southern coasts of England ; many of these 

 were brought to market, and as many as eight or ten of them alive ; but they 

 did not prosper in confinement, and generally died, almost suddenly, in the 

 course of a few weeks. They were all in immature plumage, which varied some- 

 what in different individuals ; the males were, on an average, rather smaller than 

 the other sex, and were further distinguished by having the central tail-feathers 

 somewhat elongated. A single young specimen of the Common Skua (L. catarr- 

 kactes), also, was purchased in the market, but neither of the other species. 



The only rare Gulls which I have seen were two specimens of Larus glaucus, 

 one a bird of the year, the other of the preceding year, but still unmoulted. 



