2U BRITISH BIRDS. [vol. xiv. 



end of the day's migration. In fact, the whole thing was 

 just Hke a rather poor migration day in October or early 

 November. 



The birds I saw, as with nearly all the Finches I have 

 seen migrating at Dungeness in autumn, were flying at an 

 altitude that I estimated as about loo feet, or rather less. 



H. G. Alexander. 



TAWNY OWL NESTING IN A ROOKERY. 



On March 31st, 1919, while examining the nests in a large 

 rookery at Cricket Hill, near Yateley, Hampshire, I found 

 that a pair of Tawny Owls {Strix aluco) had taken possession 

 of one of the nests in a high Scotch fir. There were four eggs 

 in it — undoubtedly those of the Tawny Owl. Some of the 

 Rooks occupied nests in the same tree, and had begun to lay. 

 Unfortunately I was not able to revisit the rookery, and so do 

 not know the ultimate fate of the Owls. H. B. Cott, 



[It is not uncommon for this species to breed in Rooks' 

 nests, and the Rooks take little notice of them ; cf . Field, 

 April 23rd, 1904 ; similar instances have been met with by 

 Mr. R. H. Read, the writer, and others. — F.C.R.J.] 



SPOONBILL IN GLOUCESTER. 



A FINE adult male Spoonbill {Platalea 1. leiccorodia) was shot 

 on the Severn a few miles south of Gloucester on February 

 17th, 1920. It was purchased by me in the flesh, and is now 

 in the Bristol Museum. F. H. L. Whish. 



SOUACCO HERON IN DEVON. 



On May 17th, 1920, an immature Squacco Heron {Ardeold 

 r. ralloides) was shot on the Exe estuary. Of the five definite 

 records of this accidental visitor to the county none are 

 from the Exe estuary. T. P. Backhouse. 



BITTERN IN CO. ANTRIM. 



I WAS most fortunate in securing a beautiful male specimen 

 of the Common Bittern {Botaurus stellaris) at Rangecroft's 

 poultry shop. It was shot by a local gunner at Mosley, on 

 January 13th, 1921, and according to Ussher and Warren, 

 there is no pre\'ious record for the county, although twenty- 

 one are given for co. Down. W. H. Workman. 



FLAMINGOS ON MIGRATION IN MEDITERRANEAN. 



While returning from India on the S.S. " Patricia " on 

 October 5th, 1920, we saw at about 10 a.m. a flock of some 



