232 BRITISH BIRDS. [vor. XI 
Mr. J. M. Goodall sends us the interesting note that a 
large flock, perhaps two hundred in number, passed through — 
Bembridge, Isle of Wight, about tl e end of October or early 
in November, 1917. The direction of this flight was from — 
N.W. to S.E. 
Probably the same conditions obtain in Scotland and 
Treland, for E. E. Dennis (Field, February 9th, 1918) reports — 
none observed in Dumfries, and B. St. A. Jenner also (loc. cit.) 
states that no Fieldfares or Redwings have been seen in Co. 
Kerry. F, C. R. Jourpatn. 
COMMON BUZZARD IN DERBYSHIRE. 
A Common Buzzarp (Buteo 6. buteo) haunted one of the _ 
gullies which runs from Dovedale to Hanson Grange, during | 
the late autumn of 1916. I first heard of it on November | 
18th, 1916, and subsequently saw it several times. Rabbits | 
are very numerous in this part of the Dale, and are snared | 
for the market, but the Carrion Crows are apt to attack the | 
snared animals in the early morning, and in consequence 
poison appears to have been laid forthem. During the very | 
severe weather in January, 1917, the Buzzard must have 
picked up one of the baits, and on January 27th it was found 
dead and brought tome. I forwarded it at once to the Derby 
Museum, where it has been well set up,and is now on exhibition. 
E. GRINDEY. 
SPOONBILLS IN DEVONSHIRE. 
On January 28th, 1918, [ had an excellent opportunity of 
observing two adult Spoonbills (Platalea l. lewcorodia) feeding 
on the mud-flats at the estuary of the River Plym, Laira, 
near Plymouth, and watched them for a considerable time 
through vlasses. Pau. L. Parker. 
WHOOPERS IN WARWICKSHIRE. 
A SOLITARY WHOOPER (Cygnus cygnus) joined the Mute 
Swans on my pool of twenty acres and stayed there for about — 
four days. On January 28th, 1918, I examined it with the aid 
of glasses, and noticed that in size it was little inferior to the 
“Pens.” It did not appear to mix on friendly terms with 
the other Swans, but swam by itself, frequently uttering its — 
whooping call-note, which was not in the least like the “ Tong ” 
of Bewick’s Swan. The yellow bill, with its black tip, agreed 
closely with the figure in Yarrell’s British Birds. On 
February 17tl, two more Wild Swans were on the pool, 
feeding in the shallow water. They had conspicuous yellow 
bills and were about the same size as the pen. By the 
morning of February 18th, they had moved on. This is not 



