The Zoologist — March, 1867. 637 



they were male and female. — J.J. Briggs ; King's Newton, Swarkcston, Derbyshire.— 

 From the 'Field' of January ]9lh. 



The Little Auk and Hen Harrier in the West of England. — A pood specimen of 

 the little auk was shot the first week in January, at Fairford, Gloucestershire. A fine 

 male hen harrier was shot on the 5th of January, near Holsworthy, Devon. Both 

 birds may be seen at Mr. White's, birdstuffer, Bath-road, Cheltenham. — From the 

 1 Field' of January 12. 



Query respecting Gulls in Kent. — I should be much obliged if any of the readers 

 of the 'Zoologist' could inform me what are the two common species of gull that 

 frequent the fields near the Thames and Medway: one is an ordinarily sized gull, 

 probably the common gull or kittiwake, having the under parts very pure white, and 

 the under surface of the tips of the wings brown : the other is a very large gull, perhaps 

 one of the blackbacked gulls. They feed on the sprats used as manure. — Clifton. 



Masked, Iceland and Glaucous Gulls near Scarborough. — Within the last week 

 I have had the following birds brought to me for my collection: — On the 15th of 

 January, a mature specimen of the masked gull, in winter plumage, and an Iceland 

 gull, in immature plumage; and on the 19lh., a splendid old female glaucous gull, 

 with a few brown feathers on the neck, otherwise a perfectly full-plumaged bird ; and 

 a beautiful old male goosander, in full plumage. We have had an unusual number of 

 purple sandpipers here this year. — John Knight ; St. Thomas's House, Scarborough.— 

 From the 'Field' of January 26lh. 



Ornithological Notes from Stirlingshire.— On the 15th of January an immeuse 

 flock of bramblings passed overhead, flying in a north-easterly direction. The flock 

 took the form of a column, which must have been at least a quarter of a mile in length 

 by some fifteen yards in breadth: it presented a most singular appearance when 

 viewed at some little distance: every slight alteration in the direction of flight of the 

 birds in the van was copied by all the members of the flock behind, thus giving to the 

 column the appearance of a great winged serpent, as it twisted and undulated onward. 

 They were flying at no great height from the ground, say some forty feet, and I saw 

 them distinctly as they passed over, and did not notice a single chaffinch or green 

 linnet amongst them. On the same day I saw a little grebe on the river; they used 

 to breed with us, but are now only seen in severe winters. To-day (January 19th) the 

 keeper and I each killed one water rail: since I recorded those seen and procured in 

 the winter of 1864-65 (Zool. 9468), when three altogether were obtained, none have 

 appeared here until this winter. — John A. Harvie Brown; Dunipace House, Falkirk. 



Ornithological Notes from Buckinghamshire. — Several wild geese have been ob- 

 served in the neighbourhood of Eton during the late severe frosts: six were seen to 

 pass over the Thames, near Clewer, on the morning of the 25th of January. Seven 

 wild ducks passed up the River Thames, near Datchet, on the 20th of January ; I saw 

 three heading for Dillon Park on the 25th, and several more have been seen and shot 

 during the last fortnight: I hear that most of those which were shot were in capital 

 condition. A widgeon was shot near Surley, on the Thames, by a man on the 24th. 

 Redwings are now common in this neighbourhood. Fieldfares are very abundant. 

 I saw two kestrels hovering over a field by the river on the 25th : they are common 

 here, two or three being continually seen in this same meadow. Nightjars are 

 abundant in the vicinity of Slough and Eton. Many herons have been shot lately on 

 Dawney Common, near Eton, where I believe many are seen together. A few herring 



