Birds. 7389 



Scaup Duck » (6). Cm. 



„ * male (3). C. m. 

 Bean Goose* (3), C. m. 

 Blackheaded Gull* (]). Minard, Argylesliire. 

 Kittiwake Gull* (1). Shot at Colon, near Cambridge. 

 Water Ouzel* (2). Minard, Argyleshire. 

 Kednecked Grebe* (1). Shot in the Fern Islands. 

 Blackthroated Diver* (2). Fern Islands. 

 Bewick's Swan (3). C. m. 



Hooper Swan (1). Shot in the Cambridge Botanical Gardens. 

 Pintail (3). C. m. 

 Common Bittern (1). C. m. 

 Kestrel Hawk (2). Cm. 

 Shorteared Owl (2). C. m. 

 -S. P. Saville i Dover House, Union Road, Cambridge, February, 1861. 



Ornithological Notes from Norfolk during the late severe Weather. 

 By Henry Stevenson, Esq. 



It is somewhat remarkable that the late intense cold, almost un- 

 precedented in severity if not in duration, should have brought to our 

 coasts so ievT rarities amongst those feathered visitants whom the 

 rigours of an arctic winter have driven southwards to our scarcely 

 more hospitable shores. The absence of such species as waxwings, 

 crossbills, mealy redpoles and hawfinches amongst the insessorial 

 birds, and of the longtailed and pintailed ducks from the list of wild- 

 fowl, is certainly curious in such a winter ; but it is not the first time 

 T have observed that, from some unexplained cause, mild seasons 

 produce those rarities which have been looked for in vain throughout 

 a long and trying winter. For instance, in January, 1859, I recorded 

 the recent appearance, in adult plumage, of several fine old males of 

 the longtailed duck at Yarmouth, a very rare species on our coast, and 

 of which no specimens had been obtained for several years ; and yet 

 these truly arctic ducks were killed here during one of the mildest 

 winters we have experienced for some time. 



As early as the beginning of October, 1860, large lumps of teal, 

 wigeon and other wildfowl, including even goosanders and several 

 yoimg velvet scoters, seemed to indicate the presence of more than 

 usual cold in the North ; confirmed also by the appearance of siskins, 

 lesser redpoles and bramblings, and later still of twites and snow 

 buntings, in more than usual quantities. Fieldfares, redwings, cur- 

 lews, plover, and various species of Tringae, were also plentiful. 



