40 BRITISH BIRDS. [vol. xv. 



Castletown shore. The Yellow Wagtails (I assume the above named 

 form) were in buff inconspicuous juvenile dress. The species has 

 very rarely come under my notice here. 



Wood-Warbler {Phylloscopus s. sibilatrix). — The wood near 

 Ramsey where each summer this species might without fail be found 

 has been completely cut down during the war. Mr. T. H. Graves 

 tells me, however, that during last season he several times heard the 

 song in the woodlands of Lezayre. 



Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus c. coUybita). — This local bird is now at 

 least not uncommon in wooded places in the north of the Island. 

 Mr. T. H. Graves hears it all through the summer in the grounds of 

 his own and neighbouring houses near Lezayre Church. I listened 

 -there to three individuals at very short distances from each other. 

 In the south I have not yet met with a Chiffchaff. 



Black Redstart [Phcenicunts a. gibraUariensis). — On March 25th 

 Mr. T. H. Graves saw a female Redstart, probably of this species, at 

 Peel Castle. 



Nightjar (Caprimidgus e. europcaus). — Mr. T. H. Graves last summer 

 frequently heard its churring on the bracken-covered hillsides of 

 iezayre, where it doubtless nested. On September 6th Mr. A. D. 

 Kissack shot an immature example, which must have been bred in the 

 neighbourhood, on the " Stony Mountain " above Foxdale. About 

 four years ago he had a similar bird at Cringle, also in the southern 

 highland. This species has rarely been proved to breed in Man. 



Kingfisher {Alcedo a. ispida).- — Two on the Sulby River above 

 Ramsey on August 12th. From time to time the bird has occurred 

 •on the lower portions of all the larger streams, but no nest has been 

 recorded, and the dates of the appearances seldom suggest breeding. 



Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dryobates major [? anglicus]). — 

 Mr. J. Bell tells me that a specimen was undoubtedly seen and heard 

 in the early summer on the farm of Ballacottier, Kirk Bride. He 

 received a graphic account of the bird and its habits. Three occur- 

 rences of the species have hitherto been recorded in Man. 



Redshank {Tringa totaniis). — Continuing to increase. Mr. Harrison 

 tells me of " flocks " in the Douglas district, where thirty years ago 

 it was hardly to be seen. I have not, however, any further evidence 

 as to its breeding. 



Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinns). — Mr. C. H. Wells 

 found a nest with three eggs on the Calf of Man in May. Two pairs 

 also nested on the west coast of the mainland at a short distance from 

 ■each other. Both sites had been occupied in previous years, and I 

 had looked upon them as alternative, which cannot have been the 

 case this year at least. 



Common Gull (Lams canus). — In the later summer I noticed a 

 good many, though the percentage was very small in the large flocks 

 of other Gulls with which they mixed on the sandy northern coasts. 

 In the southern bays the species is evidently much scarcer. 



Little Tern (Sterna a. albifrons). — Breeding in numbers at the 

 usual locality. 



