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VOL. XI.] NOTES. 213 
immature, and one which was shot on Betton Pool on 
October 26th was certainly so. It is not at all uncommon 
for Cormorants to appear in autumn on the meres and pools 
of Shropshire, or to remain there fishing for a week or so at a 
time, but I have never before known them to come right into 
Shrewsbury, nor to remain in the neighbourhood for so long 
atime. In this connexion, however, it may be well to recall 
that just a century ago there was a colony of Cormorants on 
a small island in the Severn at Fitz, four miles west of Shrews- 
bury. They were usually to be seen perched on the top of 
some tall ash trees, from whence now one and then another 
would dash downwards into the water. They were there 
from about 1813 to 1839, but the number, originally fourteen, 
gradually dwindled till only seven were left, when some 
Rooks came and took possession of the trees : the Cormorants 
‘then left and never returned. In my younger days many 
old residents remembered these birds, but, although they 
were constantly under observation, they were never known to 
nest. H. E. Forrest. 
LITTLE AUKS IN STAFFORDSHIRE, NORFOLK AND 
SUFFOLK. 
I HAVE just had brought to me the remains of a Little Auk 
(Alle alle). The bird was picked up exhausted by a farm-boy 
at Gorsty Hill, near Cheadle, Staffordshire, on the morning 
of December 15th, 1917. He unfortunately killed it, and 
attempted to preserve the skin but, failing, threw it away. 
This makes seven definite records of this species for our 
county, besides several of which full data are lacking. The 
last reported were picked up exhausted on February 2nd 
and 3rd, 1912. JoHN R. B. MASEFIELD. 
Mr. Leney received a Little Auk (Alle alle) from Horning 
on November 11th, 1917, and Mr. Saunders had two, picked 
up on the beach near Yarmouth on November 13th and 
15th. Two were also seen by Mr. R. J. Pinchin of Cley 
in November. 
Mr. C. D. Doughty tells me that two or three Little Auks 
were flying about near Dunwich, East Suffolk, on November 
11th, and also that one was swimming round the pier all day on 
November 12th at Southwold. November 11th seems to have 
been a fatal day for them: there was a high wind from the 
north on the evening of the 10th, which at Yarmouth rose 
to a gale (Force 6), and it may have been this which blew them 
in. The 11th was comparatively calm here with us. 
J. H. GURNEY. 
