182 BKITISH BIRDS. 



at close quarters in the island by a careful observer. Mr. 

 Percy Wadliam, of Newport, informs me that one of these 

 birds was shot soon afterwards and was found to be wearing 

 jesses, so that our decision was well justified.] 



Peregeine Falcon [Falco peregrinus). — These birds 

 safely brought off three young last year and four this year. 

 Isaacs has observed them to prey upon young Herring-Gulls 

 (which they take from the nest), Jackdaws (old and young), 

 Blackbirds and, in one case, a Mistle-Tlirush. The necessity 

 for the protection now afforded to these birds is proved by 

 the fact that before a watcher was appointed they were robbed 

 for no less than eleven years in succession. 



Common Sheld-Duck (Tadorna cornuta). — About forty 

 of these birds were seen together in the island this sprmg. 



Lesser Black-backed Gull {Larus fuscus). — The 

 various naturalists who have catalogued the island birds, 

 down to Mr. Fox, who wrote the list in Morey's Natural 

 History of the Island (1909), have usually reckoned only two 

 or three pairs of this species as nesting among the Herring- 

 Gulls, but Isaacs tells me that he considers that quite fifty 

 pairs bred this year on the Freshwater cliffs. 



Black-headed Gull {Larus ridihundus). — We are 

 enabled to add this bird to our list as a breeding-species for 

 the first time.* J. E. Kelsall. 



BLUETHROATS IN NORFOLK. 



The Bluethroat is not a rare bird in Norfolk on the autumn 

 migration, but the influx this September (1910) having been 

 greater than any other in my experience, it may be worth while 

 putting the facts on record. The \\'ind had been N.W. almost 

 from the beginning of the month, and on the 8th it became 

 N.E., develoj)ing into a gale on the 13th. On tlie 14tli it 

 was still more easterly, with small rain falling all the morning. 

 About two o'clock, as the rain was lessening, we went out, 

 and half-an-hour later met with a Garden- Warbler, evidently 

 just arrived. A few minutes afterwards I flushed a Blue- 

 throat, and walking along the beach towards the west we 

 came upon many others. The visitation extended over about 

 two miles, and there must have been at least thirty or forty 



* It is important to chronicle the increase of breeding colonies of 

 the Black-headed Gull which appears to be taking place in various 

 parts of the country. This year I visited a flourishing two-year old 

 colony of some sixteen nests on the Hampshire mainland, where 

 previously no colony was known. I should, however, like to have 

 information about the Dorset colony, which I hear has been much 

 harried of late, and it seems possible that the birds may be forsaking 

 it.— H.F.W. 



