226 BRITISH BIRDS. 



Prance, but others are from central and southern Depart- 

 ments, as follows : October 2nd, one, and within a fortnight 

 three others, in Cote d'Or ; early October, one in Aube (the 

 measurement of the bill of this specimen is given as 48.5 mm., 

 which points to its being an example of A^. c. macrorhynchus) ; 

 October 15th- 17th, two in Seine-et-Oise, and one in Seine 

 Inferieure ; October 31st, one obtained and others heard 

 of in Gard ; November 9th, one in Calvados. — H.F.W. 



QUAIL IN NORFOLK IN WINTER. 



As I have always understood that Quail migrated south in 

 September, or at the latest early October, I am writing to 

 inform you that I have a male Quail {Coturnix communis) 

 in my possession that was taken at Methwold in Norfolk on 

 December 12th, 1911, and I found no trace of its bein^ wounded 

 while I was skinning it. H. Edwards. 



[No doubt most of the Quail leave in October, but in mild 

 winters they have been recorded fairly frequently, especially 

 in western England, and they were practically resident in 

 Ireland fifty or more years ago, but since they became scarcer 

 in the British Isles there have been comparatively few records 

 of winter occurrences. — Eds.] 



LITTLE BUSTARD IN SUSSEX. 



A FINE female Little Bustard (Otis tetrax) was shot at 

 Beckley, Sussex, on October 21st, 1911, and is now in my 

 possession. J. B. Nichols. 



SPRING DISPLAY OF THE STONE-CURLEW. 



The Stone-Curlew ( CEdicnemus scolopax) is generally plentiful 

 in the north-east of Hampshire, but in 1911 they were in 

 unusual numbers, and towards the end of April, on a piece 

 of open fallow-land, where one or two pairs are always to be 

 found in the summer, I had an opiDortunity of watching the 

 display of a small flock during their mating period. 



The cock-birds at intervals showed off in most curious 

 attitudes before the hens, and directly one began his display 

 he was followed closely by a clamouring group of admiring 

 and excited females. He would run before them with 

 extended neck and lowered head, which he frequently turned 

 and twisted about in a grotesque manner; the feathers of the 

 body were puffed out, the wings open and drooped, and the 

 tail spread, sometimes upwards and sometimes downwards. 

 After a w^hile a bird so displaying would a'ways be brought 

 near some other male, standing disconsolate and jealously 



