The Zoologist— January, 1S67. 541 



in the neighbourhood of Beverley : I have never had more than four 

 or five specimens shot within several miles of the town. 



Gunnel. — April 23". A fine old male specimen of the gannet was 

 sent to-day to Mr. R. Richardson, of Beverley, for preservation, by 

 Mr. Boynton, of Alrome, near Bridlington. The gannet has occurred 

 in larger numbers along our coast during the present year. Several 

 have come under my own observation, in various stages of plumage. 



Shore Lark. — April 6. I have to-day received from Mr. Bailey, of 

 Flamborough, an old male specimen of this rare bird. It was 

 shot a short time previously by Mr. Bailey, near to Flamborough : he 

 mistook it for a variety of the blackheaded bunting, and sent it to me 

 as such. Mr. Bailey also stated that it was one of a flock, and that 

 had he known its value he could have secured more specimens. This 

 is the only specimen of the shore lark 1 have met with shot on our 

 east coast. 



Gray Plover. — April 20. I received this day, in the flesh, a speci- 

 men of the gray plover, rapidly changing to the breeding plumage. 

 On the 30th of May Mr. F. Boyes shot another, an adult male, in the 

 perfect nuptial dress : both these birds were shot at' Spurn, mouth of 

 the Iluuiber. It is very rarely that we obtain this bird in its breeding 

 plumage in our neighbourhood. The change of plumage appears to 

 be effected, in pari, by a partial moult of new feathers, and in part by 

 a gradual change of hue that takes place in the old feathers, which 

 remain unmoulted. 



Carious Freak of Nature. — On the loth of March a hen carrier 

 pigeon, in my own loft, appeared to be rather cramped in the left foot 

 and leg: on that day she laid two eggs, both of them perfect, but one 

 a little smaller than the other, and both rather thin-shelled: two days 

 after she laid a third and perfect egg of the full size, and with a perfect 

 shell ; on this egg she sat the full time, and brought the chick within 

 to maturity. This carrier hen has never since laid more than two 

 eggs at one nesting, and has never been in any way cramped in leg or 

 loot. This partial palsy of the limb was doubtless due to the pressure 

 of the eggs upon the nerves which supply the muscles with motive 

 power. I have frequently observed similar results in the case of 

 short-faced tumblers, delicate in constitution and small in size, when 

 the bird, from over obesity or actual want of power,iias failed to expel 

 the egg at the proper time : after a few days of care and rest the bird 

 has generally regained the lost power in its legs. Since the above 

 occurrence a Cochin China pullet of the present year (1866), in my 



