254 BRITISH BIRDS. 



rapidity until the storm subsided. Its mode of progression 

 on land was slow, awkward and uncertain. 



Several times I saw it bathe, which it proceeded to do by 

 swimming into shallower water, then raising itself in an 

 upright position on the water, it rapidly and repeatedly 

 threw its body forwards and backwards as on a pivot, and 

 from side to side in a most ludicrous manner. The water was 

 very green and stagnant, which perhaps accounted for the 

 bird's frequent ablutions. Once, on an alarm being raised by 

 sparrows and other small birds, it swam alongside a small 

 stone in the water, where it crouched motionless beside it 

 with one eye skywards. S. G. Cummin gs. 



GREAT SKUA IN SUSSEX. 



On October 24th, 1910, a fine specimen of the Great Skua 

 {Megalestris catarrhactes) was shot off the Sussex coast, and 

 forwarded for preservation to Mr. Bristow, who very kindly 

 sent it in the flesh for my examination the same day. On 

 dissection it proved to be a male, and an adult bird. 



H. W. Ford-Lindsay. 



MANX SHEARWATER IN SHROPSHIRE. 



On October 10th, 1910, an adult Manx Sliearwater {Puffinus 

 anglorum) Avas caught alive and uninjured in Ludlow. It 

 seemed tired out, but was quite fearless and would follow its 

 captor about fluttering along the ground and even going 

 down two or three steps. In captivity it slept during the 

 daytime with its head under its scapulars, but if disturbed 

 it showed anger and bit at its owner. It did not feed weU, 

 though it picked up and swallowed some pieces of raw herring 

 offered to it. Four days after its capture tlie bird was liberated 

 and flew away. The late Mr. W. E. Beckwith wrote regarding 

 the Shearwaters taken in Shropshire that none ever recovered 

 the power of flight, even when they reached fresh water and 

 were apparently uninjured. The above is the first instance to 

 my knowledge, of one doing so. H. E. Forrest. 



Influx of Northern Birds. — An immigration of northern 

 birds of rather unusual dimensions occurred at the end of 

 October and the first part of November, 1910. In addition 

 to the Northern Bullfinches reported in a previous page, a 

 very large number of Mealy Redpolls (all those examined 

 from the localities mentioned below being typical L. linaria) 

 have been reported to me : — Yorkshire coast, between 

 October 26th and 30th, " in larger numbers than I have 

 ever known" (T. H. Nelson in litt.) ; large numbers in 



