9470 Birds— Fishes. 



Iceland Gull in Dublin Bay. — I had the pleasure of noticing the Iceland gull 

 (^Larus leucopterus) to-day. It was an immature bird. I generally notice two or three 

 each winter. — H. Blake-Knox ; Dalkey, Co. Dublin, November 20, 1864. 



Sabine's Gull and the Ivory Gull at Weston-super-Mare. — I saw to-day, in the 

 house of a watchmaker of ibis place, a very beautiful example of Sabine's gull (Larus 

 Sabi7i)), which he had shot upon the sands here a few years since. Lii>e all the s])eci- 

 meus I Lave seen which have been obtained in England, this bird is also in immalure 

 plumage. This is the second instance of Sabine's gull liaving occurred at Weston- 

 super-Mare which has come under my notice. The possessor of this specimen of this 

 beautiful little gull told me that a year or two ago he caught, in a jar baited with a 

 sprat, a fine ivory gull (L. eburneus) in mature plumage. The bird was kepi alive in 

 a small garden for some months, and became a great pet, but eventually, like all pets, 

 met with an untimely end. — M. A. Mathews ; Weslon-mper-Marc, January 12, 1865, 



Kittiwake in Ayrshire in Winter. — In the beginning of last month 1 received a 

 young male kittiwake {Larus tridaclylus) shot on the Ayrshire coast on the 4lh of 

 January. This is a rare bird on ihe Scotch coast in winter. The present specimen 

 was shot out of a flock apparently of the same species, and was sent to me in the flesh. 

 The stomach cuutained fish-bones, remains of small crustaceans, and one or two spines 

 of some species of sea-urchin {Echinodermata). The bird was in fair condition, 

 although not nearly so fat as a common gull (L. canns) shot at the same time. — 

 Edward R. Alston; 205, Bath Street, Glasgow. 



Voracity of the Angler (Lophius piscatorius). — Some time ago 'an angler (Irish, 

 "mullagoon") was brought to me with a cormorant {Carbo cormoranus) in its 

 throat. The fish had seized the poor bird, most probably attracted towards its 

 capacious jaws, by its bill. It had been gorged as far as the shoulders. The great 

 strength and buoyancy of the cormorant had raised both to the surface, where they 

 struggled until caught. The cormorant only survived his wounds some days. I have 

 seen many instances of small divers, such as guillemots and razorbills, being devoured 

 by this fish, and in one instance found a dead mullagoon with the remains of a great 

 northern diver in its intestines; I have heard also of two or three instances of this 

 bird being killed by the mullagoon. One was also taken after having gorged a large 

 cork buoy, which the fishermen use to mark the position of their crab-pots. Another 

 was taken having swallowed an inflated dog-skin used as a buoy above spillard lines. 

 But the most remarkable instance I ever knew of this fish's voracity was its swallowing 

 a large block of granite used as an anchoring stone for fishing. The only reason 

 I could imagine for its seeming want of taste was that the stone had been used as a 

 block to cut up fish for bait for crab-pots, it being consequently covered with blood, 

 slime and scales. — H. Blake-Knox ; Dalkey, Co. Dublin, December 20, 1864. 



The Sturgeon off Yarmouth. — A magnificent specimen of the common sturgeon 

 (Acipenser sturio), weighing upwards of eight stone, was taken off the coast of Yar- 

 n outh, on Wednesday, the llth instant. It was purchased by Messrs. Weavers and 

 Sons, fish merchants, of this city. — T. E. Gunn; Norwich, January 25, 1865. 



