9452 Birds. 



only observe llie attempt at slicking his legs out behind, in which he 

 rather failed, and the peculiar lapwing or heron curve vrhich his vvingg 

 took as he flew : I did not see whether he carried his head back on 

 his shoulders or straight out, for having only No. 10 shot in the gun 

 I was obliged to knock him down before he had time to execute any 

 very startling mancenvres : he seems to be a good specimen : the vivid 

 colouring of the head and legs in Gould's plate is not overdone. 

 The living bird was quite different to stuffed specimens : i particularly 

 remarked the beautiful blue feathers on the liead (these must be looked 

 at by sunlight) and the colouring about the bill and legs. I shall 

 write to Vingoe to have him set up, I think in a standing position, with 

 the feathers on the neck rather rampant than couchant. To-day, after 

 church, I made a tour of the ponds with the biggest telescope I could 

 lay hands on. There were about twenty snipes, a bunded and fifty 

 widgeons, fifly to seventy wild ducks, fifteen teals, eight shieldrakes, 

 a large flock of cools, moorhens, water rails, a heron, lapwings, ringed 

 plovers, herring gulls, one gull unknown, and a perfect host of starlings, 

 redwings, thrushes, blackbirds and a stray fieldfare or two, all within 

 range of the glass at once. The strange gull I could not identify : 

 rather larger than a kitlivA'ake, very pointed tern-like blue wings with 

 a white border, and very rapid flight : it might have been a skua, but 

 I do not know.* The thermometer has scarcely been below 30°, but 

 there was just the slightest white frost this morning, and it felt very 

 cold in the afternoon, though it was 39" in the garden shaded. You 

 will hear from me again soon if the frost continues. 



The Land's End snipes do not appear to have come here yet, but 

 we shall see what St. Mary's will show to-morrow. A small flight of 

 cocks have arrived, mostly heavy light-coloured birds; we have only 

 killed twenty, and that is pretty nearly all that came. This cold 

 weather must bring game soon. I saw seven or eight shorteared owls 

 yesterday. A singular dearth of little birds in the gardens, nothing to 

 be seen but sparrows. You will not hear again from me till Friday, 

 when there may be something to talk about. We had a decided snow- 

 storm this evening. Thermometer 37°. 



Tresco Abbey, New Year's Day. — " Non homini cuivis contingit," 

 to see snipes feeding with the poultry in front of the drawing-room 

 window; that happened, however, here yesterday, and it was a pretty 

 sight to see an old turkey cock pursue a snipe by the Abbey Pool. 

 What marvellous facilities are here for an admirer of Nature ! I can 



* Blackheaded gull.— £. //. R. 



