72 MlSCJbn.T.ANKOUS NOTICKS, 



whilst swimming in a pool of water at North Thoresby, distant eight miles 

 north by west of Louth. On the 13th of December, a specimen of the same 

 bird came into my possession, which was taken between North Cotes and 

 Marsh Chajjel, distant about nine miles north-north-east of Louth. I have 

 also in my possession another specimen of the same bird, which was shot 

 whilst swimming at Saltiieet Haven, on the 26th of December, 1853. The 

 oldest shooters in the place did not remember having seen a similar bird, 

 although some of them had followed this vocation for more than half a 

 century. — J. Brown, Louth, December 18th, 1854. 



Grmj Phalarope, (Phalaropus lobatus,) near Cambridge. — A specimen of this 

 interesting little bird was killed by a man with a stick, swimming in a pond 

 with some tame Ducks, at Barton, Cambridgeshire, Oct. 6th, 1854. — S. P. 

 Savill, 13, Regent-street, Cambridge. 



Egyptian Goose. (Anser Egyptiacus.) — A male bird was shot by a gunner at 

 Suthery Fen, Isle of Ely, Nov. 23rd, 1854.— Idem. 



Occurrence of the Lesser White-tvinged Gull. (Larus Icelandicus.) — A specimen 

 of this rare and valuable Gull was found under curious circumstances, on 

 the morning of the 8th of December. I was taking the temperature of the 

 sea from the outer pier, when I observed a Gull floating, which had been 

 shot by some sportsman. At first I took it to be a young Larus canus ; but, 

 observing no black on the tip of the wings, I felt satisfied it was a rarity; 

 and W'hen taken out of the sea, it proved to be an immature example of the 

 Lesser White-winged or Glaucous Gull. My specimen measures twenty-ono 

 inches in length ; the wings, when closed, reached two inches beyond the 

 the tail; colour, dull white, very beautifully clouded with pale ash brown; 

 eyes, dark brown. Faber remarks, this is the only Gull that passes the 

 winter in Iceland without breeding there in summer. It mvist, like the Ivory 

 Gull, {Larus ehurneus,) breed in the higher northern regions, and come to 

 Iceland in winter, as a bird of passage ; it will most probably breed in Hud- 

 son's Bay. It is not unfrequently met with on the Shetland Isles, but taken 

 on our coast it is a treasure for the ornithologist. — Alfred Roherts, King- 

 street, Scarborough, Dec. 1854. 



Rare Birds near Plymouth. — A fortnight since a fine specimen of that now 

 scarce bird, the Avocet, (Recurvirostra Avocetta,) was killed in the neighbour- 

 hood of Plymouth, and is in the possession of Mr. Pincombe, animal pre- 

 server, of Devonport. Some specimens of the Grey Phalarope, Black Red- 

 start, and Hawfinch, have been also obtained wdthin the last month. — John 

 Gatcombe, Plymouth, Nov. 25th, 1854. 



Eggs of Foreign Birds, laid in England. — I have now in my possession an 

 egg of the Cassowary, laid in the Royal Surrey Zoological Gardens a few 

 years since ; this is a great rarity, I mean the fact of its being " British laid." 

 I have also the egg of the Ostrich, laid in 1851, in the same locality; 

 but this is not so uncommon. — H. H. S., London, Oct. lXt.h, ,.1854. 



