NOTES. 339 



recorded in November from Scotland, Hampshire, and Surrey ; 

 in December from Lincolnshire, Suffolk, Devon, and Ireland ; 

 in January from Yorkshire, Kent, and Ireland ; and in February 

 from Ireland. 



The possibihty, however, of the bird recorded above by 

 Mr. Knowles being an escape from captivity should not be 

 overlooked, although Mr. D. Seth-Smith informs us that the 

 Hoopoe is not often kept in captivity. Should any of our 

 readers know of a Hoopoe having recently escaped we should 

 like to be informed. — Eds.] 



THE DIURNAL FLIGHT OF THE BARN-OWL. 



With reference to Mr. Eric B. Dunlop's note {supra, p. 314) 

 regarding the diurnal flight of the Barn-Owl (Slrix flamniea), 

 I may say that here in the extreme north of Lancashire \\e 

 see the Barn-Owls flying all day during the winter-months, 

 and I am inclined to attribute this purely to lack of a sufficient 

 food-supply ; and anyone who has kept Owls in confinement 

 will agree with me, that they need a greater amount of food 

 than other birds, such as Hawks and Falcons. 



F. W. Smallby. 



SHAG NOT CORMORANT IN BEDFORDSHIRE. 



In the February number of British Birds (p. 288) I reported 

 the occurrence of a Cormorant at Woburn. The bird remained 

 here over a week and then died. I found it some time after- 

 wards near the pond, and have ascertained that it is a Shag 

 (Phalacrocorax graculus) and not a Cormorant. 



It did not occur to us when we saw it alive, that it was likely 

 to be a Shag so far inland — more than sixty miles from the sea. 



Harry Lewis. 



LONG-TAILED DUCK IN KENT. 



A FINE specimen of the Long-tailed Duck {Harelda glacialis) 

 was obtained at Jury Gap, near Rye, on March 4th, 1911. 

 It was an adult male in perfect condition. 



I examined it at Mr. Bristow's, who had the bird for pre- 

 servation. H. W. Ford-Lindsay. 



COMMON EIDER IN SUSSEX. 

 Although Borrer (Birds of Sussex, p. 358) describes the Eider 

 (Somateria mollissima) as a regular autumn and winter visitor 

 to the Channel off the Sussex coast, and quotes Booth, who 

 states that he had frequently recognized these birds there, 

 they probably keep so far out to sea that they are seldom seen, 



