522 The Zoologist— December, 1866. 



other times, the kittivvake is a most sociable bird, thousands of nests 

 being built touching each other side by side, and on such narrow 

 shelves that, were it not for the living wall they form, the slightest 

 gale would carry nest and all away. One can never judge of the 

 quantities of kittiwakes that frequent a breeding-station, as they do 

 not mind a shot, but still remain on their eggs. 



Plumages. — I know no author that gives the plumages of this bird 

 accurately. Our leading author, Macgillivray (decidedly the best), 

 makes his bird in adult dress at a year old ; Montagu and Yarrell 

 only give the banded plumage of the first winter ; I trace it immature 

 in plumage till the third autumn moult. The plumage of male and 

 female is similar : the males are larger than the females. 



Habry Blake-Knox. 



Dalkey, Co. Dublin. 



(To be contiuued.) 



Honey Buzzard at Scilli/. — The Scilly steamer brought over yesterday a cboco- 

 lale-eoloured specimen of the honey buzzard, which I believe is the first recorded 

 example of that species on the Islands. The chestnut tone of colour is uniform 

 throughout the upper and lower surfaces of the body, and its general expression is that 

 of being a bird of the year. — Edtvard Hearle Rodd ; Penzance, October 24, 1866. 



Variety P of the Barn Owl at Epping.— In December, 1864, a specimen of the 

 barn owl {Slrix Jlammen) was killed near this place, willi the whole under parts tawny- 

 yellow, spotted with black. The upper parts were more mottled with gray than usual: 

 it was a large bird, and a female. — Henry Diiubleday ; Epping, October 15, 1866. 



Late stay of the Lesser Whitethoat. — I shot a specimen of the lesser whitelhroat 

 {Curruca garrula, Brisson) on Saturday last, the 13ih of October. I do not remember 

 having seen one before so late in the autumn. — Id. 



Snow Bunting at Beachy Head. — A young man shot a snow buntinf? at Bcachy 

 Head to-day, which he brought me. Bales has just brought me another, for inspec- 

 tion, shot out of a flock of five : it is very early for them to come south. Hooded crows 

 have arrived some lime since, and are abundant in our marshes and on the sea-shore. 

 — John Button; Eastbourne, October 8, 1866. 



Nest of the Siskin. — A friend and I in Aberdeenshire found a nest and eggs of the 

 siskin, placed full forty feet above the ground, on the extremity of one of the lop 

 branches of a black fir tree; but our most careful endeavours to obtain them were un- 

 successful: we sawed through the branch, but it was too heavy for us, and, slewing 

 rouud, the eggs tumbled out and of course were smashed. There were three eggs in 

 the nest, and ihe old birds were flying close around us during our operations, at limes 

 very closely imitating, we thought, the movements of the goldeneresled regulus. The 

 gamekeeper there told us that they breed regularly on the banks of the Dee, and we 

 hope to take the eggs next season. — J. A. Harvie Brown. 



