The Zoologist — November, 1866. 499 



a field of wheat dotted here and there witli viiiious flat patches, which they had 

 flattened down, and in wiiich places they had hardly left a grain. When the corn is 

 stooked they alight on the top of the slooks, and do an immense quantity of damage. 

 I have also seen a field of turnips greatly injured by them; they picked ofi" all the 

 green lops, and in some parts to such an extent that they rendered the roots almost 

 bare. As far as concerns farmers in this neighbourhood, I consider a more destructive 

 bird than the wood pig:eon there could not be. — R. M. Barrington ; Fassaroe, Bray, 

 Co. Wicklow, October 3, 1866. 



Gray Pkatarope, Wood Sandpiper and Black Tern near Aldeburgk. — During the 

 last few weeks I have made several good additions to my collection of birds, amongst 

 which are several black terns; one only has a black breast: T shot this specimen in 

 the Mere on the 9lh of September: I procured three more on the 14th, and three 

 again on the 19lh : no more have appeared since, althouuh many ai that time passed 

 along shore towards the south. On the 11th of September a friend killed two wood 

 sandpipers (males): these are generally very rare birds in this locality: the note is 

 very similar to that of the green sandpiper, but the flight and manner of those birds 

 are very difi'erent :. although feeding together in small flocks, as soon as disturbed they 

 separate and soon alight again. I obtained two gray phalaropes, one on the 18th of 

 September, and a second on the 19lh, both males. I find they feed upon the larvee of 

 the drone-fly. — W. Fenwick Hele, in the ' Field ' of September 29, 1866. 



Gray Pkatarope in Hackney Marshes. — I beg to inform you that a specimen of the 

 gray phalarope has been sent to me to preserve: it was shot in Hackney Marshes on 

 the 20lh of September. — B. Hesse ; Alfred House, Chisenhale Road, Victoria Park, 

 October 8, 1866. 



Gray Phalarope at Mayfield. — Two very good specimens of this rare bird have 

 been shot recently ai Mayfield; one on the loth and the other on the 17th of 

 September. A strong wind from the south and souih-west had been blowing for some 

 days previous. — H. T. M. Kir by ; Mayfield Vicarage, Sussex, September 19, 1866. 



Gray Phalarope at Eastbourne. — The gray phalarope has occurred in great numbers 

 at Eastbourne, and neighbourhood. This beautiful little bird has lately visited our coast 

 and " pals" (as the small ponds are called) in numbers, and " the cry is still they come." 

 A friend living at Peveusey says there were great numbers there ten or twelve years 

 since. From my notes I collect the following: — Friday, September 7, A coasi- 

 gnardman shot two at Wallsend, Pevensey. 12th. .Mr. Cooper shot one at the 

 Crumble Pond; aud Mr. Osbourne, farmer, shot one in a small pond close to the 

 high road at Eastbourne, in company with some ducks. i6th. Bates, the naturalist, 

 through whose hands all have passed, says, " Mr. Cooper bro.ight me twelve phalaropes 

 last night," which he shot that day at Cuckmere Haven. 17th. Mr. Cooper shot four 

 at the Crumbles; Mr. Vidler shot one at Pevensey, and one on the 14th; a coast- 

 guardman shot three at Pevensey ; and one was shut to-day at Bexhill, in my presence. 

 20ih. One picked up in the Marshes, which I have ; Mr. Osbourne, of Eastdeane, shot 

 two on the small pond in front of his house, in company with his ducks; Mr. Thomson 

 has procured two at Cuckmere Haven ; and Mr. \'idler has shot one at Pevensey. — 

 John Button ; 51, Terminus Road, Eastbourne, Sussex, September 20, 1866. 



Gray Phalarope at Weston-super-Mare and at Budleiyh Sallerton. — t'n the evening 

 of the 2 1 St of September I had two birds brought to me to be named, which had been 

 shot upon the Sands, not far from Weston-super-Mare. They proved to be the gray 



