70 BRITISH BIRDS. [vol. x. 



The late dates at which eggs and young liave been found 

 render the rearing of a second brood ahnost certain, but it is 

 satisfactory to learn that the pair under observation un- 

 doubtedly reared two broods, with an interval of about 

 eighteen days between the date of the 3'oung leaving the 

 nest and the completion of the second clutch. 



Reeling was noted only from arrival till mating had taken 

 place. It then ceased, and was not heard again till after 

 the young had Hown, and then only for about four days, and 

 lastly in a weaker form for a day or two after the fledging of 

 the second brood. This leads to the inference that birds 

 which reel persistently through May and June and even 

 into July have failed to find mates. F.C.R. J. 



Buff-backed Heron reported from Somerset. — Mr. 

 Stanley Lewis states {Zool., 1915, p. 318) that a specimen of 

 Ardeola ibi.s was shot at Mai-tock, Somerset, on January 28th, 

 1900. and was preserved by a Mr. Sherring. The data were 

 pinned round the neck of the biid, and Mr. Lewis received 

 the specimen from a friend of Mr. Sherring. The specimen 

 has been submitted to Mr. Ogilvie-Grant. who has verified 

 the identification, but the history of the bird does not seem 

 quite clear. 



Grey Phalarope in Yorkshire in Winter.— Mr. F. 

 Snowdon states (Nat., 1916, p. 239) that an example of 

 Phalaropus fuUcarins frequented the harbour at Whitby for 

 about a week from December 15th, 1915. The bird is rarely 

 seen in the British Islands in winter. 



Arctic Skua Killing Lambs. — Evidence is given in the 

 Field (20.5. '16, p. 812 and 3.6.'I6. p. 881) of an Ai'ctic Skua 

 {Stercorarius parasiticus) killing lambs. Three persons saw 

 the Skua kill three lambs. "■ The bird alighted on the lambs' 

 backs and picked their eyes out, and tore them under their 

 tails, and then never went near them again.'' The bird was 

 subsequently shot and sent to the Field office. 



Arctic Skua in London in May. — Mr. E. D. C-uming writes 

 (Field, 27.5. '16) that he saw an Arctic Skua ])ass over Hyde 

 Park low down on May I6th, 1916. The bird is not often 

 observed inland on the spring passage. 



Water-Rail at St. Kilda. — Mr. W. E. Clarke states 

 (Scot. Nat., 1916. p. 77) that a Rallus a. ac/ualicus which was 

 sent to him was obtained on Hirta, St. Kilda, late in the 

 autumn of 1915, and that this is the first lecoided occurrence 

 of the bird in that island, 



