432 Captain A. G. L. Sladen on Birds [Ibis, 



but this species can hardly be described as being common. 

 Falco peregrinus I have also identified, and as there are 

 numerous suitable nesting-places I have no doubt it remains 

 to breed. Milvus milvus is one of the commonest of the 

 larger Raptores, whilst the Common Buzzard (Bufeo hiiteo) 

 is almost equally plentiful. There are many other species 

 A\hich I hope to identify as time goes on. 



The Herons are well represented, and there are at least 

 six species, including the Common Heron, all of which, 

 with the exception of two, I have obtained. Botaurus stel- 

 laris is comparatively common and its booming note is often 

 heard. The Glossy Ibis [Plegadis falcinellus) arrived about 

 April 7. At present the flock of about 200 birds has shown 

 no signs of breaking up. Terns began to arrive about 

 April 23. These ai'e almost all Black Terns, but a few 

 White-winged Black Terns and a smaller number of Common 

 Terns also arrived. There are now thousands of the first 

 species, and as the locality appears highly suitable I have 

 little doubt that they will soon breed. The Waders, never 

 very easy, have been particularly hard to secure and identify, 

 and I can only give three — the Redshank (Tutanus totanus), 

 the Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus) , of this I 

 have only seen two, and the Lapwing [Vannellus vannellus). 

 Much discussion locally has been occasioned by statements 

 regarding the ^' Grey Geese''' which frequented one part of 

 the country in thousands during the winter. They were 

 generally described as Grey-lag Geese, but some other orni- 

 thologists declared them to be White-fronted Geese {Anser 

 albifrons). For myself I can only say this, that I had only 

 one opportunity of handling a bird which was shot about 

 March 10 by an officer of the A.V.C. This specimen was a 

 Grey-lag. Possibly both species have been taken. About 

 seventeen of these Geese still frequent the neighbourhood ; 

 sometimes they fly in pairs, sometimes singly, and at other 

 times the whole flock can be seen grazing together. 



A further detailed description can only become mono- 

 tonous, so I append a list which covers most, if not quite 

 all, the birds identified up to date. Those marked with an 



