11 
The group of Woodcock and Snipe, all winter visitants, are 
becoming increasingly rare. The Woodcock in the Museum is 
from Dyrham, and the Jack Snipe, the rarest species, from 
Warleigh. The eggs of this bird are of greater bulk relatively 
to its size than those of any other bird, for the bird weighs about 
2 ozs. and its four eggs more than 14 oz. 
The Grey Phalarope, the Whale bird, belongs rather to ocean 
than to land, and is at home within the Artic circle ; it became 
very abundant throughout England in the autumn of 1866, 
during a period of very heavy weather. The specimen in the 
Museum was shot on Midford Ponds in October 1870. We have 
a fair collection of the Rails, which are not uncommon in our 
district, although difficult to observe on account of their shy and 
retiring habits. 
The specimen of the Spotted Crake was picked up dead on 
the railway between Bath and Kelston in October, 1881 ; it was 
supposed that it flew against the telegraph wires, as there was a 
-deep cut across its breast. 
Terry mentions a Water Rail and a little Crake as having been 
shot in the pond at the back of Grosvenor, but gives no date. 
The Common Coot was obtained on the river near Keynsham. 
2.—SWIMMERS. 
Boat shaped bodies and webbed feet attest their remarkable 
powers of swimming and diving. . 
A large proportion of these birds have the ocean as their 
habitat, and, therefore, can hardly be claimed as local. Still some 
are frequenters of our streams, and, with regard to the others, 
as it is the custom to include in the list of birds of a district, 
all species whether occasional visitants or mere stragglers driven 
out of their way by stress of weather, we must follow the usual 
‘custom. 
Amongst the Ducks we have local specimens of the Teal, 
Common Scoter, Pochard and Golden Eye. 
