ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES, 59 



found a nest in July, 1850, in a steep bank, composed of moss lined with 

 hair, and containing four eggs, round shaped, with very black streaks. 



Nest of Kingfisher, (Alcedo ispida.) — In the month of July, 1847, I dug 

 out a Kingfisher's nest in the bank under Orcharding wood. River Ernie, 

 containing seven well-fledged young; the hole had the appearance of a 

 deserted water-rat's; there was not the least sign of a nest, but merely an 

 enlargement of the hole, and a small pit scraped out almost three feet 

 from the entrance, which was nearly filled with their excrements. I discovered 

 it by the constant chirping the young ones made. 



Squacco Heron, (Ardea comata.) — A fine specimen of this bird was shot by 

 Sir Frederick Roger's gamekeeper, many years ago, on a very large pond, almost 

 close before his windows, at his seat, Blatchford, near Ivybridge, Devon. He 

 had it preserved, and a label attached to the case, stating the time it was killed, 

 which unfortunately had been lost, when I saw the bird. 



Occurrence of the Green Sandpiper, (Totanus ochropus.) — My father shot one 

 of these birds, now in my collection, on the River Erme, August 15th., 1849. 

 I shot a female bird on Lara, just at the mouth of the River Plym, August 

 17th., 1850. 



Pigmy Curlew, (Tringa subarquata.) — Young birds of this species were not 

 uncommon at the mouths of rivers in this neighbourhood, in the months of 

 September and October, 1850. On the River Lynhcr I saw near forty of 

 these birds in one flock, but they usually keep in company with Purres and 

 Ring Dotterels, from which they can easily be distinguished when on the wing, 

 by their white rumps. I obtained six specimens in one morning. 



Landrail, (Rallus crex.) — The Pointers found to day, (September 16th., 

 1848,) a Landrail in a short thick hedge near Ermington, but all we could 

 do by brushing and beating the bushes, would not make it fly; it kept running 

 forward and back, until at last my friend caught it as it was passing him. 

 Upon examining it, we found it was so very fat that it could not fly, and when 

 thrown into the air, it came down almost perpendicularly. As I was trying 

 a clover field for Partridges near Ivybridge, September, 1849, the dogs 

 flushed a Landrail, which flew up and perched on one of the branches of a 

 tall oak tree, and screened itself as much as was possible among the leaves, 

 where it was shot by my friend, the Rev. C. Bulteel. 



Occurrence of the Pink-footed Goose, (Anser brachyrynchus,) in Cambridgeshire. 

 Whilst at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, January 1850, I procured a fine 

 specimen of this rare species of Goose. It was caught by a labourer on the 

 banks of the Cam, below Upware, having been wounded by a large-sized 

 bullet, in the breast. 



Occurrence of young Northern Divers, (Colymbus glacialis.) — I shot two of 

 these birds in Plymouth Sound, December, 1850. There were several others 

 seen there about the same time. 



