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Some Kotrs on Hare Btrtrs. 



By Arthur Cox, Hon. Secretary. 



HE following very brief notes respecting some birds 

 that are not usual visitants to our county, but which 

 have been seen in Derbyshire in 1878, have been put 

 together with the view of suggesting to the Society the expediency 

 of devoting some few pages of the Journal, year by year, to a 

 chronicle of Natural History. If the members and friends of the 

 Society, who may be interested in any branch of Natural History, 

 would contribute short notes of anything remarkable occurring in 

 the year, such a chronicle might become a valuable feature in our 

 transactions. 



On the 27th of April, a Gannet (Pe/ecatius bassa/rus) dropped 

 exhausted in the park of Ednaston Lodge ; the bird measured 3 ft. 

 3 in. from beak to tail, and 6 ft. 2 in. across the expanded wings. 

 The next morning another Gannet was observed hovering about, 

 but continued its flight iff the direction of Tutbury. I am not 

 aware that this ocean bird has visited Derbyshire before. April 

 being the season for Gannets to migrate northwards, may 

 possibly account for its appearance. 



On Friday, December 20th, a good specimen of the Bohemian 

 Waxwing or Chatterer (Ampelis garrulus), in excellent plumage, 

 was shot on the top of the Chevin, Hazelwood. Another bird 

 of the same species was seen in the neighbourhood a few days 

 later. It is stated in Pilkington's Derbyshire (vol. i. p. 489), 

 published in 1789, that this bird was shot at Glapwell, Bolsover, 

 " some years ago." He adds that, at " a later time," a flight 

 of fourteen birds was seen at Smalley and at Melbourne. At 



