nOTES 



SOCIABLE PLOVEE IN KENT. 



On May 3rd, 1907, a specimen of the Sociable Plover 

 (VaneUus gregarius (Pallas) ) was shot in Eomney Marsh, 

 Kent, by a shepherd who gave it to a farmer ; the latter 

 sent it to Mr. Bristow, taxidermist, of St. Leonards, for 

 preservation, and in his shop I examined it in the flesh. 

 The bird, a female, was one of a flock of six, and is a 

 young- bird in its first breeding- plumag-e. This, the third 

 example obtained in the British Islands, was exhibited by 

 me at the British Ornitholog-ists' Club {vide Bull. B.O.C., 

 Vol. XIX.. pag-e 85). 



The first British example was shot in Lancashire about 

 1860, and the second in Co.Meath, Ireland, onAug-ust 1st, 

 1899. 



Besides these examples this species has only been 

 recorded about half-a-dozen times from South-western 

 Em-ope, and not at all from Helig-oland or North-western 

 Europe. 



The home of this species is in the Steppes of the Crimea 

 and the region between the Don, the Volga and Caucasus, 

 the Caspian region and Turkestan. In autumn it migrates 

 to the u]3lands of Sinde and plains of India ; while Ceylon, 

 Arabia, Egypt, Nubia, and Abyssinia are also visited in 

 the cold season. 



C. B. TiCEHURST. 



SUPPOSED SEEIN FINCHES IN SUSSEX. 



My friend. Captain Copp, and I, whilst walking over the 

 downs from Brighton to Lewes, on May 5th, 1907, saw on 

 a piece of fallow, a flock of small birds, consisting of 

 Yellow hammers. Greenfinches and Linnets. Among 

 them were some birds I did not know. Serin Pinches had 

 been in my mind when I saw the birds, and on examining, 

 on the following day, three specimens of this bird in the 

 Booth Musemn, I came to the conclusion that the birds I 

 had seen were Serins {Serinus hortulanus). A subsequent 

 examination of the large series at Cromwell Eoad con- 

 firmed me in this decision. My friend thinks there were 



