1 58 AN EAST COAST NATURALIST 



It was about this time that a local sportsman, 

 tramping the beach in quest of fowl, saw a number 

 of Petrels at the harbour mouth. He had only 

 big shot with him, but succeeded in killing nine 

 birds. He took snap-shots at them as they neared 

 the crest of a wave and before they fell back 

 into the trough of the sea. Having disposed of 

 four brace at four shillings a couple, he took the 

 last bird to a game dealer. 



" I suppose youVe hawked round," said the dealer, 

 "as many as you could sell, and brought this one 

 to me ? " 



" What matters that to you ? " asked the gunner. 

 " I only ask you if you'll buy it. I want two 

 shillings for it." 



The dealer gave him three-fourths of that amount, 

 when, to his just annoyance, the man saucily told 

 him he had sold eight already to persons from 

 whom the dealer had actually received orders to 

 obtain specimens for them ! 



"LOCALITY" IN BIRDS 



I have already shown in the case of the Grey Wag- 

 tail how that species persists in returning, even when 



