NOTES. 309 



THE LONGEVITY OF BIRDS. 



In connection with this subject, which was discussed at some 

 length in our pages a little while ago (cf. antea, pp. 78-79, 

 115-117), Mr. Theed Pearse writes to me that he knows of a 

 Goldfinch which has been in captivity for thirteen years, and 

 of a Common Buzzard (now in the possession of Mr. H. W. 

 Finlinson) which has been in captivity for eighteen years. 

 Mr. S. E. Reffitt informs me of a Rough-legged Buzzard 

 which has recently escaped and been shot after having been 

 in captivity for fifteen years. H. F. Witherby. 



Unseasonable Nesting. — Mr. Stanley Pashouse informs 

 us that a Wood-Pigeon had young just fledged on November 

 25th, 1909, at Torquay, and Mr. A. L. Thomson informs us 

 that a perfectly fresh Starling's egg, found on the ground at 

 Old Aberdeen, was brought to him on November 25th. Mr. 

 E. W. Wade reports (Nat, 1910, p. 28) that a Rook was 

 feeding young on November 27th at Leconfield, and that 

 Starlings were feeding a young one (four others were dead in 

 the nest) on November 29th at Sutton (Yorks). 



Short-eared Owls Breeding in Yorkshire. — In the 

 Yorkshire Naturalists' Union Report for 1909, Mr. E. W. 

 Wade records (Nat., 1910, p. 41) that six nests of Asio 

 accipitrinus, containing from four to eight young each, were 

 discovered in June, 1909, on Broomfleet Island, in the 

 Humber saltings. 



Black-tailed God wits in co. Cork. — Mr. Robert Warren 

 records (Zool., 1910, p. 34) that a small flock (nine or ten) of 

 Limosa belgica visited Cork Harbour in December, 1908, and 

 that "this season" another small flock visited " our south 

 coast," one being shot near Youghal Harbour, and about a 

 dozen being seen several times in October off Blackrock. 



Great Skua in Ireland. — A male adult Megalestris 

 catarrhactes was shot near Portrush, co. Antrim, on October 

 24th, 1909, after a north-east gale (W. J. Williams, Irish Nat, 

 1910, p. 13). 



Lapland Buntings in Norfolk. — Mr. B. Dye records 

 (Zool., 1910, p. 34) that a specimen of Galcarius lapponicus 

 was caught near Great Yarmouth, on October 15th, 1909, and 

 that two others have been reported. The bird is an annual 

 visitor to Norfolk (c/., vol. 1, pp. 249-250). 



Honey-Buzzard in Norfolk. — A "specimen" of Pernis 

 apivorus is reported (B. Dye, Zool., 1910, p. 34) as having 

 been obtained in the second week of October, 1909, at 

 Haddiscoe, near Great Yarmouth. 



