The Zoologist — August, 1866. 341 



contact with the ceiling, by which the wings at the flexure were 

 slightly injured : even the pointing of a finger would cause it to hiss. 

 The buoyancy of its flight inspires one with wonder and admiration, 

 that of a moth hardly realizing it. I know of no bird whose plumage 

 will bear a closer inspection, and thus to gaze on a living specimen, 

 in perfect adult plumage, is a treat that even an ornithologist does 

 not often enjoy. There was a sleepy look about the eyes, but 

 towards night it became lively, and on being released darted off, 

 though with a wavering flight, its huge wings occasionally brought 

 together till meeting at the points, after the manner of the pigeon 

 tribe. 



Herring Gull, S^c. — 26th. On revisiting the Culver ClifTs to-day no 

 gull but the herring gull was observed, and even of this species I do 

 not believe that more than ten or a dozen pairs breed there now. On 

 approaching the edge of the clifF two ravens rose from beneath, and 

 their constant croaking and excited manner led me to think that their 

 young could not be far oflf, and on looking over the precipice I saw a 

 pair, almost full-grown, sitting on a ledge. Though pretty strong on 

 the wing, when alighting they had some difficulty in obtaining a 

 footing on a crag, and would reel about for a second or two, the pair 

 always settling down together. The kestrel was again observed, but 

 no peregrine falcons have I found about the cliffs, either this year or 

 the last, though said to breed here regularly by more than one com- 

 piler of lists ; however, a partridge's feather was picked up to-day on 

 the edge of the cliff", and on a former occasion the well-picked bones 

 of a partridge were found on the brink. Wagtails, pipits and several 

 other species are breeding in the cliffs. On my way to the Downs I 

 observed a pair of stonechats with their full-fledged young about 

 them : seeing me the male flew off" with the brood, while the female 

 kept flitting on before me from bush to bush for a considerable 

 distance. 



Swan.—^7\\\. Observing the swan on the Bonchurch Pond rushing 

 about in a wild state of excitement, leaving a long line of broken water 

 in its wake, I imagined that some dog had frightened or pursued it, 

 but seeing it occasionally pause in its mad career to tear away the 

 feathers from its flanks, I have no doubt that ticks, or other parasitic 

 insects, were the cause of these unusual and eccentric movements, 

 though not aware that the pure and spotless swan, like some other 

 species, was thus afflicted. 



Bluethroated Warbler. — In a former note I referred to a second 



