VOL. VI.] NOTES. 21 



vigorous bob do\Miward, exhibited what appeared to be an 

 element of hostiUty towards one another. It was during these 

 performances that the wide chestnut band on their necks 

 could be best seen. They dived frequently and often gave 

 chase to one another. Richard W. Jones. 



GREAT SHEARWATER IN KENT. 



During the south-westerly gales of October (about the 24th 

 to the 27th), 1911, a Great Shearwater {Pu/jimis gravis) was 

 found exhausted on a farm at Stone-in-Oxney, on high ground 

 overlooking Romney Marsh. There was some doubt as to 

 the bird's identity at the time, and I am indebted to Mr. Catt, 

 of Iden, Sussex, to whom it was brought for preservation, for 

 kindly borrowing it from its OAMier a few weeks ago for me 

 to see. It was a male. 



There is only one previous record of this species from Kent, 

 and its capture is interesting in the light of Mr. H. G. 

 Alexander's observations made in the Bay of Biscay and the 

 western Channel during the last \\eek in September (c/. Vol. V., 

 p. 253). N. F. TiCEHURST. 



SNIPE BREEDING IN KENT. 



A pair of Common Snipe {Gallinago g. gallinago) nested this 

 year (1912) in Benenden, Kent. On April 21st there were 

 four eggs, and the bird was sitting. It is remarkable that 

 they should have chosen a rush}^ meadow adjoining a wood 

 where the Woodcock breeds annually. R. E. Cheesman. 

 [As I suggested in the Birds of Kent (p. 452), it is not unlikely 

 that Snipe breed in that county more numerously than the 

 actual records represent. One or more scattered pairs pro- 

 bably breed in many suitable places throughout the county, 

 but records of nests being found are still very small in number ; 

 Mr. Cheesman's note is therefore valuable, and all the more so 

 as the locality is a new one. On April 30th, 1910, I was able 

 to verify for myseK the breeding of the Snipe in the Wittersham 

 Levels referred to on page 453 of my book ; some six pairs 

 were " drumming " there, and I found one nest. The only 

 other record I have since received is one from Colonel J. M. 

 Rogers, who found a nest of four eggs in process of hatching 

 in the Darenth valley on May 11th, 1908.— N. F. Ticehurst.] 



BLACK-HEADED GULLS FOLLOWING A 



SWARM OF FLIES. 



At about 9.30 in the morning of December 31st, 1911, a large 



movement of the common two -winged shore-fly took place 



along the coast near the mouth of the river TjTie. Dense 



