The Zoologist— January, 1866. 37 



Both birds were in tolerably good condition, the male being the 

 plumper and heavier of the two. 



With a view of ascertaining what food they had recently obtained, 

 I carefully examined the stomach of each. That of the feriffeile was 

 almost empty, but I could recognize a few small fish-bones (probably, 

 from the size, roach), a small mass of vegetable fibre, together with the 

 fruit of a Sparganium and a single carpal of a Potamogeton, probably 

 P. pectinatus. That of the male was distended with a larger quantity 

 of small bones and remains offish. The bones presented the appear- 

 ance of having been ground up small, being all very much of one size, 

 although the inner coating of the stomach was by no means hard or 

 rough, and I could find no traces of gravel or quartz, nor indeed of 

 any substance which might tend to produce such an effect. 



I may add, in conclusion, that I examined these birds very carefully, 

 with a view of ascertaining whether they had escaped from confine- 

 ment; but as the wings were quite perfect, the tail feathers not in the 

 least worn, and the entire plumage, although immature, yet in good 

 order, while the bodies were healthy and in good condition, I have no 

 doubt that the birds were really wild. 



Moving southwards at the approach of winter, and tempted, no 

 doubt, by the broad expanse of the Reservoir above named, which 

 would be perceived by a bird in flight at a very considerable distance, 

 they had unfortunately alighted, and, as it would seem, had barely 

 time to snatch a hasty meal, when they met a cruel and unexpected 



death, 



J. Edmund Harting. 



Kingsbury, Middlesex, November, 1865. 



On the Occurrence of Bartram's Sandpiper near Falmouth. 

 By Dr. Bullmore. 



From the numerous enquiries I have received concerning the speci- 

 men of Bartram's sandpiper, of which I am the fortunate possessor (a 

 notice of which appeared in the 'Times' of the 14th of November), I 

 am led to infer that a description of this strange visitor to our shores 

 would be anything but unacceptable to many of the readers of the 

 ' Zoologist.' From enquiries instituted by me I find that this bird was 

 flushed by a farmer's son near Mullion from a piece of pasture turnips, 

 where he had just previously risen some six or eight snipes. It rose 

 singly, uttering a short shrill scream, flew over the hedge and dropped 



