xl. 



brent Bernicle was a regular visitant. A Berwick Swan was shot in 1845. The 

 common Shoveller, the Gadwell Duck, and the Pintail Duck were occasionally met 

 with in the harbour. The Garganey Duck visited the waters and always located 

 itself in Lytchett Bay, where it would probably breed if left undisturbed. A 

 specimen of the Eider Duck was shot at Littlesea in 1868 by Mr. W. J. Slade. 

 The Goosander only occasionally was found in very severe winters one was shot in 

 January, 1881. A Red-breasted Mergasander was shot in Poole Bay on July 4th, 

 1859, and was now in possession of Mr. H Lee, F.L.S., Naturalist of the Brighton 

 Aquarium. Of the Smew, a male and female were shot in the harbour on 

 December 30th, 1874. Of the Grebes, a fine specimen of the Great Crested Grebe 

 was shot in 1876 ; the Sclavonian Grebe was shot in Lytchett Bay in 1876 ; the 

 Eared Grebe was not uncommon ; the Little Grebe common. The Puffin and the 

 Razorbill had taken possession of the chalk cliffs of the Needles and Old Harry 

 Rocks, where they lived and bred in great numbers. The Common Gannet or 

 Solan Goose was occasionally met with, and one was shot in 1872. The Artie Tern 

 had been shot in the harbour. The Herring Gull and the great Black-backed 

 Gull were sometimes to be seen. The Pomatorhine Skua had been shot there. 

 A Storm Petrel had been shot near the black buoy at Stakes, driven in by the 

 stormy weather. They were more commonly seen off Portland, but he knew of 

 no other specimen having been seen at Poole. A Fork-tailed Petrel had been shot 

 in Poole Harbour in 1859. 



A discussion ensued on the conclusion of the paper. Mr. Udal strongly 

 commented on the wanton destruction of rare birds. Mr. Cambridge, though 

 objecting to any wanton destruction of birds, pointed out that it was often 

 necessary to kill birds in order to preserve specimens. He contended it was as 

 justifiable for ornithological collectors to kill birds, rare or unknown to them, as 

 for collectors of insects to do the same in forming entomological collections. 

 Again, many poor gunners obtained their livelihood by shooting birds, among 

 which the rarer ones would necessarily be often included, and prove the most 

 remunerative ; and, finally, the accurate identification of a bird often could not 

 be arrived at unless the specimen were shot. The President stated that it had 

 been undoubtedly proved that the wholesale destruction of the hawk tribe in 

 Scotland had led to the establishment of the grouse disease there. Nature had 

 provided compensation for life or death, and where a superabundance of life 

 existed Nature brought other causes in to counteract it. He alluded to the fact 

 that by perseverance in his own neighbourhood in the form of preservation there 

 were now to be seen birds which ten years ago were not to be found there. 

 Unfortunately, directly birds of gay plumage wandered to these shores they were 

 killed before they had time to get far from the coast. He would earnestly plead 

 for the preservation of such birds. Mr. Udal, alluding to a statement of Mr. 

 Penney's, that every strange bird noticed at Poole was immediately shot, 

 considered that to be simply wanton destruction. He mentioned the fact that two 

 peregrine falcons had taken up their abode near Bridport, and that once when 

 shooting one of them swooped down and carried off a partridge which he had 



