24 
Querquedula discors.—I may take this opportunity of mentioning a 
specimen of the American Blue-winged Teal, a female, which I discovered in 
a case of ducks, all shot about forty years ago, on the Dee Estuary, The 
blue is quite a different colour from the blue-grey on the wing of the Gar- 
ganey, and the alar speculum is shot with green, 
Fuligula ferina.—The Pochard seems not so rare as an autumn and 
winter visitor as the notice of it in our Transactions (1893) might lead us to 
suppose. One was shot by Mr. Douglas Dobie on January 13th, 1900, in the 
Gowy meadows, near Trafford. Two were shot at Gelligynan, near Mold, by 
Mr. Gillet, August 16th and 23rd, 1898. Mr. Ruddy also writes to me that 
there were about 20 on Bala Lake at the beginning of April (1900). 
Phalaropus hyperboreus.—I have examined a specimen of the Red-necked 
Phalarope, which was shot on the Dee Marsh last winter, and is in the 
possession of Mr. Francis Congreve. 
Larus leucopterus.—In our list of 1893 the Iceland Gull has no place. 
Coward and Oldham have, however, recorded its occurrence at Hoylake ‘about 
twenty years ago’ [‘ Birds of Cheshire,” p. 236]. I have also examined a 
specimen in the possession of Mr. Hannah, of Abergele, which was shot by 
his friend Mr. Cowan, on the Abergele Shore, on January 3rd, 1895, on the 
same day that a specimen of Larus minutus was obtained. It is a rather 
small but nearly adult bird, shewing a light fawn tint on some of the 
primaries, and an indistinct ‘marbling’ on the rectrices. Wing 15} ins., 
Tarsus If in. 
Cymochorea leucorrhoa.—A number of Fork-tailed Petrels were shot in 
the autumn (1899), on Sealand or the Dee Estuary. I give the records of 
five, all of which I have examined :— 
One from Sealand, Sept. 28th. Coll. Grosvenor Museum, 
One, Sept. Coll. Mr. Jackson, Stafford House. 
Two. Coll. Mr. Stivens, Abbey Street. 
One. Coll. Mr. Francis Congreve, Burton Hall. 
It would appear that this Petrel is either more common on our coast than the 
Storm Petrel (P. fel/agia), or is more easily driven ashore by stress of 
weather. 

The past year has been marked by the publication of “The Birds of 
Cheshire,’’ by T. A, Coward and Charles Oldham. This is a valuable addi- 
tion to the books on the County Avifauna, extending our knowledge of the 
birds of Cheshire to the east of the line drawn south from Warrington, which 
bounds the district specially worked by this Society. The book is handsomely 
got up, and is a correct and well-sifted list. Rightly, I think, do its authors 
regard with scepticism the occurrence of the Noddy Tern (Anous stolidus), 
the record of which was published in “‘The Field” and ‘The Zoologist”’ 
for 1897. Though not wishing to advocate too strict an adherence to political 
boundaries in treating of local fauna, still I fail to see how a specimen of 
Sabine’s Gull (Xema sabiniz), shot in a field at Mostyn, and recorded in 
our Transactions as a Flintshire specimen, is entitled to a place amongst the 
birds of Cheshire. On the other band, the Spotted Redshank (which they 
reject) may, I think, be included on the following evidence: Mr. Brockholes 
(Society’s Transactions, No. I.) says: ‘‘ A bird was killed about the year 
1864 which, from description, was probably referable to this species, Dee 
Marsh, near Burton.” In his diary notes, which I have had the opportunity 
of seeing, he says: ‘‘One was brought to Mrs. Brockholes about the year 
1864, which, I believe, was shot by Charles Kemp.” Mrs. Brockholes made 
a coloured sketch of this bird, which she has kindly shewn me, and its size 
and dark colouring leave no doubt in my mind that it was 7otanus fuscus, 
