500' The Zoologist— February, 18G7. 



rendering them peculiarly subject to the attentions of the roving 

 gunners, and it is too probable that out of the many which visit the 

 eastern counties in the autumn and winter, but few return to their 

 northern breeding-grounds. I saw one of these owls on the 3rd of 

 November, near the Humber, perched on a sod, walking up to within 

 three yards before it look wing, and then it scarcely flew out of gun- 

 shot. No wonder that such numbers find their way to the local bird- 

 stuffers. 



Common Buzzard. — Lately inspected a magnificent specimen of 

 this now rare bird, which had been trapped, by the gamekeeper, in a 

 neighbouring parish : it was an old bird, and in very rich dark- 

 coloured plumage. 



Little Stint. — This species has been far from uncommon during the 

 autumn on the " flats." On the 3rd of November noticed several 

 feeding in company with dunlins and ringed dotterels, but was not 

 able to get near them. Ou the 5th I had a very favourable oppor- 

 tunity of watching one of these minute Tringae, in company with a 

 dunlin and ringed dotterel, actively engaged in probing the soft " warp" 

 at the foot of the embankment, and now made certain of procuring a 

 specimen, yet, although the No. 5 marked a ring all round it, the little 

 fellow flew off apparently uninjured. 



Green and Golden Plovers. — The excessive and long-continued 

 rains have attracted immense flocks of these plovers to our marsh lands. 

 During the winter of 1865-66 immense numbers visited the marshes, 

 yet this winter they are greatly in excess : this is more particularly the 

 case with the golden plover; indeed during the last fifteen years I 

 never recollect seeing anything like the congregated thousands at 

 present to be found in this district. So far both species have resorted 

 almost exclusively to the grass-lands, to the neglect of their usual 

 haunts, the fields of young wheat. I did not observe any golden 

 plovers in the marshes before the 31st of October : for a few days after 

 their arrival they are not difficult to get at, but soon learn the range of 

 a gun. On the 14th of November I attempted to stalk, by walking up 

 the drains, a flock of about forty, feeding in company and mixed up 

 with a number of peewits, but the latter birds were far too wary to per- 

 mit a near approach, and were off on the first alarm, rising in a body, 

 but much to my surprise the golden plovers remained ; they were still 

 considerably out of shot, and as there was no possible means of getting 

 nearer, I got out of the drain, and walked up openly to within thirty 

 yards before they rose, leaving, however, five of their number behind 



