48 BRITISH BIRDS. [vol. xiv. 



The British status is also given in a condensed form, and the bulk of 

 each notice consists of notes on the habits and life-history as observed 

 in this country. Being for the most part based on personal observation, 

 imperfections naturally crop up here luid there, and they must be taken 

 as representing the experience of one who has spent a lifetime in the 

 study of birds in the field rather than the sum of our present knowledge 

 of each species. The statement that the Cormorant lays three or four 

 eggs late in April or May does not alter the fact that clutches of five 

 are not uncommon and that sixes have occurred. The present writer 

 is not responsible for the statement that in the field the Nutcracker 

 " is not unlike a Rook with a long bill " ; while the shape is corvine, 

 the colouring is quite distinctive, and the white tail margin catches the 

 eye at once. We should hesitate to describe the Snowy Owl as " di- 

 morphic " because some specimens are white, while others are strongly 

 barred with brown. Harriers are, as Mr. Coward rightly says, variable 

 birds, but in some cases the head of the male certainly does look white, 

 as the bird sails by. 



In discussing the claim of the Belted Kingfisher to a place on the 

 British List, Mr. Coward seems to think that the evidence afforded by 

 two occurrences in Ireland was deemed insufficient and for this 

 reason the bird was not given a place. It was in reality because 

 it was known that both supposed occurrences were due to fraud. 



These, however, are comparatively trifling matters ; the fact remains 

 that here for the first time we have a series of small, but on the whole 

 excellent, coloured figures of practically all the birds on the British 

 List (with the exception of a few of the rarest stragglers) by Keulemans 

 and Thorburn, together with passable figures of typical eggs, in com- 

 bination with practical and sound letterpress by a field worker, in a 

 compact form and issued at a reasonable price ; and we shall look 

 forward with interest to the completion of the work. 



F. C. R. JOURDAIN. 



LETTER. 



PROBABLE LITTLE BUSTARD IN NORTHUMBERLAND. 



To the Editors of British Birds. 



Sirs, — On Holy Island on April 24th, 1920, I had an excellent view 

 of a bird quite new to. me, and which I should say was certainly a 

 Bustard, but I am not familiar with this bird. It was on a field of 

 growing oats, and crouched when observed, looking up frightened. 

 Its long neck was held well up all the while. I .should say its neck and 

 breast were pale cinereous coloured, but I could not see the back well. 

 On taking wing, its white wings (though not pure white) were con- 

 spicuous. They were flappetl rapidly and hekl pendulously, reminding 

 me of the flight of a Long-tailed Duck. The flight was not powerful, 

 but fairly rapid. In size I should say the bird was decidedly smaller 

 and lighter than a hen Caper. What do you think it was ? 



Seton Gordon. 

 Bamburgh, Northumberland, May 4th, 1920. 



[The white on the wings and the description of the flight, which is 

 very characteristic, taken in conjunction with the other details, make 

 it almost certain that the bird was a Little Bustard (Otis tetrax). — Eds.] 



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