The Zoologist — ^June, 1866. 271 



Bee-eater near Bristol. — I have to record the occurrence of this beautiful and rare 

 visitor, four specimens having been shot in this neigrhbourhood during the present 

 week, three of which are in my possession. The birds, wlien first observed, were 

 hawkiui; for bees round a number of fruit trees in bloss(un, and in the neighbourhnod 

 of a number of bee-hives. Their flight is most graceful and beauliful; at one time 

 soaiiiig in graceful circles at a great height, and darling witii great velocity after their 

 prey, which was often apparently some of the largest species of Bumbus: when one of 

 these was caught it would be carried at the point of the bill for a half minute or more, 

 and then, with a sudden and peculiar turn of the head and neck, the insect would be 

 swallowed entire: I noticed this repeatedly. At other limes the birds would sit upon 

 some dead branches of a large elm and of a cherry tree, and make short excursions 

 after bees that might be flying past or gathering round the fruit flowers, sometimes 

 returning to the same perch again, like the flycatcher, but oftener, circling round for 

 a short lime before settling again. The bees appear to be always swallowed while the 

 bird is on the wing. — George Harding, jun. ; Stapleton, near Bristol, May 5, 1866. 



Variety of the Great Spoiled Woodpecker. — On the 23rd and 25lh of April two 

 exantples, male and female, of the great spotted woodpecker were killed at Worlingham, 

 near Beccles, in Suffolk: both were adult birds. The female was rather peculiarly 

 maiked, by having about one-third part of each wing extending to the lips, of a pale 

 reddish brown; lips of the tail-feathers of the same colour; a patch of chestnut hue 

 was also visible on the back part of its head, as also a similar patch just above its 

 rump. This is the only instance of variation iu the plumage of this species that has 

 passed under my notice. 1 have frequently observed examples of the green woodpecker 

 {Picus viridis) having this reddish brown or rusty hue on the lips of the wings and 

 tail: an example of this variety I have now in my possession, obtained for me by a 

 friend near Wymondham, two or three years since. What cause may be assigned lor 

 this abnormal change of plumage? Is it due lo the weakness of the birds or to old 

 age? Both the above were adult birds. — T. E, Gunn. 



Singular Death of a Kingfisher. — An adult specimen of the kingfisher was picked 

 up dead on the bank of a stream in this neighbourhood, on the 16lh of February last 

 it having met with its death by the following singular incident: — In attemptino- to 

 swallow one of its finny captures, a specimen of the " miller's-thumb" (as the fish is 

 familiarly called here), one of the projecting spines of one side of its gill, beino- ex- 

 tended, caught under the tongue of the bird, and being unable to extricate itself from 

 its unpleasant morsel, fell a victim to its own rapacity. They were both preserved in 

 the position in which they were found by one of our birdstuffers, and are in the pos- 

 session of a gentleman in this neighbourhood. — Id. 



Whimhrel at the Kingsbury Reservoir. — It may interest some of the readers of the 

 'Zoologist' to know that, two days ago, I shot a fine male whimhrel {Numenius 

 phcBopus) at the Kingsbury Reservoir. It was quite alone, and I searched in vain for 

 another of its species. Length from tip of bill lo end of tail 17J inches ; length of bill 

 34 inches ; extent of wings 28^ inches. Both it and a common sandpiper, which I 

 shot at the same time, smell very fishy. — Charles B. Wharton; Willesden, Middlesex 

 May 12, 1866. 



Hard Fale of a Woodcock. — Some lime ago a flock of woodcocks passed over 

 this town on a dark night, and one of ihem struck against the vane of one of our 

 churches, and was impaled on the arrow by his neck. — Arthur Pye Smith; Ipswich. 



