194 FIRST APPEARANCES OF BIRDS, INSECTS, ETC. 



Falco cesalon (The Merlin). One seen at Canford 2nd 

 March, 1913. At about 3.30 p.m., at the foot of Blue Ball 

 Hill, about 1J miles on the Dorchester side of Bridport, we 

 observed a Merlin sail along in front of the car, doing 27 

 m.p.h. with the greatest ease. It continued for several 

 hundred yards, and then suddenly threw up its wings and 

 shot into the foot of the hedge, from which it emerged close 

 in front of the car, with an Accentor modularis (hedge sparrow) 

 in its claws. After this it shot off at such a pace that we 

 could not catch up with it. (W.P.C. and E.H.C.) 



Chaulelasmus streperus (The Gad wall). Two shot at 

 Wareham in the winter. (W.P.C.) 



Glottis nebularius (The Greenshank). Seen at Morden 

 Park on 12th July, 1913, obviously a downward migrant. 

 (E.H.C.) 



Tringoides Jiypoleucus (The Common Sandpiper). First 

 seen at Dorchester 10th April (G.R.P.) on upward migration. 



Limosa limosa (The Bartailed Godwit). September 5th, 

 at 1.45 a.m., I heard a flock of waders migrating over the 

 house while I was in bed ; it must have been a large flock, 

 for I heard them for fully 1J minutes. There were at least 

 two different sorts of birds, and from their calls to each other 

 I took them to be Bartailed Godwits and Knots. I am 

 satisfied as to the Godwits. (E.H.C.) 



Stercorarius crepidatus (Richardson's Skua). One seen on 

 Poole Harbour July 24th. (G.R.P.). (I find on enquiry 

 from Mr. Peck that this was an adult bird of the dusky race.) 



Crex crex (The Corncrake or Landrail). Seems to be one 

 of our disappearing species, and according to my experience 

 is steadily decreasing. The causes seem to be complex, but 

 two principal ones may be cited the prevalence of the horsed 

 mower and reaper and binder, which ensures the destruction 

 of every nest in its path and often of the young birds, and the 

 sportsman's gun ; that the latter is a deadly foe is proved by 

 the information given to me that Mr. Cavendish Bentinck's 

 shooting party secured 50 landrails in one day's shooting in 

 Purbeck whilst the birds were on the downward migration. 



