Birds. - 9499 



Brent Goose. — Has been seen in considerable numbers for some 

 weeks past. 



Wild Duck.— Though not very plentiful, a large flock was seen oflF 

 Sandown, within rifle shot, early in the month. 



Scoter. — Frequently observed at sea. 



Crested Grebe. — Seen off Shanklin. 



Great Northern Diver.— Seen off Sandown on or about the 20th of 

 January. This bird being rather a rare visitant here, I have been par- 

 ticular in my inquiries regarding its identity, and there can be no 

 doubt of its having been seen, as one of my informants, though not a 

 professed ornithologist, has a good knowledge of birds. It was shy 

 and wary, keeping out of gun-shot. 



Redthroated Diver. — Three of this species were shot off Shanklin 

 on the 23rd of January : one was considerably smaller than the others, 

 and the plumage less pure ; but on none of the three was there the 

 least appearance of red about the throat ; consequently must be birds 

 of the season. 



Sparrowhawk. — In a long walk over the downs on the 20th of 

 January, I saw but one of these hawks. I observe in the notes from 

 Scilly, in the ' Zoologist* (Zool. 9450), that sparrowhawks were seen 

 " cruising about after the starlings :" this may account for the latter 

 species being "remarkably scarce" there; but I never kuew them to 

 be preyed on here, and Macgillivray, though giving rather a long list 

 of birds eaten, does not include the starling; however, little birds 

 being scarce in those treeless islands may account for its change of 

 diet. 



Stonechat. — Observed on the 20th of January. Sylvia rubicola 

 being with us a regular winter resident, though by no means so 

 numerous as during summer, it is somewhat surprising to find your 

 Norfolk correspondent (Zool. 9455) considers himself fortunate in 

 having secured two nice adult specimens, male and female, of this 

 species, which seems in his locality to be as rare as the whinchat, if 

 not more so, as the latter appears to have been twice seen, namely, in 

 January and again in November, 1864. It is to be regretted that a 

 specimen was not procured, particularly as one of those he observed 

 in November was seated within a few yards. 



Blackheaded Gull. — On the 2.3rd of January a large but scattered 

 flock of these elegant gulls was seen near the village of Lake, soaring 

 with buoyant flight over the ploughed lands, but invariably wheeling 

 round when within seventy or eighty yards of one. They would 

 occasionally settle down in the furrows to pick up the grubs and 



