1 92 1.] Birds oj Aldernei/. 441 



that he shot a Spoonbill on the rocks near Longy Bay, 

 about fifteen years ago, and that he kept the beak for some 

 time. Neither this nor the preceding bird can easily be 

 mistaken for others, and I have little doubt that they were 

 correctly identified. 



(Edicnemns cedicnemus. The Stone-Cnrlew. 

 L. tells me that he shot one out of a little lot of four in 

 December 1887. Mr. Tourgis also once shot one. 



Phalaropus fulicarius. The Grey Phalarope. 



Mr. Cecil Smith says : — " The Grey Phalarope is a 

 tolerably regular and occasionally numerous autumnal 

 visitant to all the islands.'^ This does not apply now, and 

 if it occurs at all it does so very seldom, although there 

 seems to be no reason why it should not, as it is still, at 

 times, fairly numerous on the opposite coast of Dorset. 



Scolopax rusticola. The Woodcock. 



It is to these birds that the islanders owe the greater part 

 of their sport. They come over from the French coast 

 in some numbers during the winter months, when the 

 wind is in the east, or, better still, the south-east. They 

 also come in calm weather and especially when there is a 

 fog, and would doubtless remain were it not for the sporting 

 proclivities of the inhabitants. They are met with princi- 

 pally on the cliffs, and a good spaniel is necessary to insure 

 sport. 



The Woodcock may often be soon coming over from the 

 opposite coast at dusk, more especially if there is a moon, 

 and I think that, in favourable weather, these birds, as well 

 as the Snipe, make a regular flight across the Race, arrivino- 

 here soon after dark, and the majority leaving for the 

 French coast just before daylight. The followino- table 

 giving the date of the first Cock of the season shot in 

 Alderney since 1889, has been very kindly given to me by 

 L., and since it possesses a certain human, as well as a 

 scientific, interest, I give it here in its entirety and as 

 received from him. 



2g2 



