276 BRITISH BIRDS. [vol. x. 



Albinistic Bean and Pink-footed Geese in Cumber- 

 land. — A Bean-Goose {Anser fabalis) of a light cream-colour, 

 with pinkish, instead of yellow, legs and feet, was shot near 

 Carlisle in January, 1916. A cream-coloured Pink-footed 

 Goose {A . brachyrhynchvs) was obtained two years before, 

 also near Carlisle. S. Mounsey Heysham. 



Wryneck in Kirkcudbrightshire. — In an interesting 

 article on autumn migration at the Little Ross Lighthouse, 

 Mr. W. Begg states {Scot. Nat., 1917, p. 4) that a Jij7ix 

 tor quiU a struck this light in the third week of November, 1916. 



The Late George kSTOUT. — We greatly regret to learn 

 from the Scottish Naturalist (1917. p. 1) that George Stout, 

 . well known to ornithologists by reason of his observations at 

 Fair Isle, was mortally wounded on the Somme and died on 

 November 13th, 1916. Dr. W. Eagle Clarke became ac- 

 quainted with George Stout, who was the son of a crofter- 

 fisherman at Fair Isle, in 1905. Stout was then sixteen, 

 and evidently a born naturalist, a fact which Dr. Eagle 

 Clarke quickly appreciated. With the latter's help and 

 guidance Stout became an excellent ornithologist and did 

 a great deal of useful work as bird-watcher on the now 

 famous island. He also accompanied Dr. Clarke to St. Kilda, 

 Auskerry and the Butt of Lewis. 



LETTER. 



SKUAS AND BEARDED TITS IN NORFOLK. 

 To the Editors of British Birds. 



Sirs, — I see that in the last number of British Birds (antea, p. 244) 

 there is a record of a remarkable migration of Skuas off the Norfolk 

 coast on September 14th. It may be of interest to record that I 

 noticed several on September 9th, about two miles out to sea from 

 Cromer. In this case they were passing down the coast, singly, and 

 not flying due south inland in small parties, as recorded at Blakeney. 

 I could not say to what species they belonged. 



Later in the month I spent several days in the reeds on one of the 

 Broads, and was surprised at the great number of Bearded Tits. One 

 could constantly hear their notes in all directions, and though very 

 difficult to distinguish among the reeds, they could often be seen 

 flying above them from one part of the Broad to another, usually in 

 small parties. On several occasions I noticed at least two adult cock 

 birds in the same party, two families having apparently joined together. 

 If Mr. Gurney's estimate {antca, p. 23.5) of the number of nests (80) 

 is not a very low one, one would suppose that they were all concen- 

 trated on this one Broad. D. A. J. Buxton. 



Fairhill, Tonbridgb, 

 March Wih, 1917. 



