NOTES. 35 



Nutcracker {Nucifraga caryocatactes). — One was seen at 

 Gunton, near Lowestoft, on November 28th and 30th. 



Barn-owl (Strix flammea). — Mr. Gurney has a good deal 

 to say about the luminous Barn-owls. There is, however, 

 no information as to what causes the luminosity which is the 

 point of real scientific interest, and curiously enough Mr. 

 Gurney thinks it would be a reprehensible deed to shoot one 

 of the birds, although this is obviously the best way of clearing 

 up the mystery. It would certainly do no harm, and might 

 advance scientific knowledge. The chief points of interest 

 in Mr. Gurney's notes on the subject, are that the evidence that 

 Barn-owls occasionally exhibit luminosity is incontrovertible, 

 and that the " hght " emitted is very much stronger than one 

 would imagine possible. 



Purple Heron {Ardea purpurea). — A young bird was 

 captured in the streets of Kirkley, a suburb of Lowestoft, 

 by a tram conductor on October 9th. 



Spoonbill {Platalea leucorodia). — The first seen on Breydon 

 was on April 21st, and several were subsequently seen at 

 intervals in May and June, and the last on August 6th. Two 

 " very " young ones were noted on June 4th. None appear 

 to have been shot, we are glad to say. 



A PLAN FOR MARKING BIRDS. 



In volume I. of this Magazine several communications were 

 published on this subject. The advantage to students of 

 migration of knowing exactly where birds travel by observa- 

 tions on marked birds is obvious ; but the difficulty of the 

 plan is that so few birds which are marked are ever found 

 again. If, however, great numbers were marked, no doubt 

 a large enough percentage would turn up to make the results 

 of value. Mr. C. Hawkins, of " Lyndhurst," Woodside Road, 

 South Norwood, informs us that he has had made a number 

 of suitable aluminium rings of various sizes, stamped with a 

 registered address ("Avis, Wye, Kent"), and each bearing a 

 separate number for identification purposes. He is wilhng to 

 supply these rings to anyone who will undertake to place them 

 on birds, at the price of 5s. per gross, or 6d. per dozen. Mr. 

 Hawkins also undertakes to keep a register of the particulars 

 supplied by his correspondents concerning the birds marked, 

 and to publish the results from time to time. H F W 



MARKED BIRDS. 



On the same hnes as Herr Chr. Mortensen, of Viborg {vide 

 British Birds, Vol. I., page 298), I have this year been 

 marking and hberating a number of birds of various species. 

 The mark employed is an aluminium ring on which is stamped 



