G38 The Zoologist— March, 1807. 



gulls have been observed during tbe frosts near Windsor, on the Thame«, but I have 

 not heard of any being shot: it seems rather far inland for this species to come. The 

 common gull is seen here every now and then. The lovely kingfisher is very plentiful 

 here: I observed one flying over the snow at some distance from any water on the 

 18ih of January. The goldencrested wren is numerous herej being often seen and 

 killed by wandering gunners. I have seen many green woodpeckers lately that have 

 been shot in this neighbourhood : they appear far from uncommon. A specimen of 

 the lesser spotted woodpecker was shot, on the 24lh of January, by a person at Langley, 

 near to Stoke: its colours were extremely brilliant, particularly the red on the head. 

 Several teal have been shot up the river during the late cold weather. A few pintailed 

 ducks have been shot on the Thames within ihe last week: they are not common 

 visitors here. The meadow pipit is extremely abundant here: I have one that was 

 shot, in good winter plumage. Several arctic terns were shot last winter near Eton, 

 but I do not know if any have been seen this winter. Several common terns have been 

 seen here, and a person told me that he had shot one in the beginning of the winter. 

 An Eton man shot two Brent geese a few days since : they were good specimens, and 

 lie had them preserved. I hear that snipe have been so tame during the hard weather 

 that several have actually ventured ou to the door-sieps of dwellings near Eton, and 

 that they only flew a few yards when disturbed. — A. Clark-Kennedy ; Eton, January 29, 

 1867. 



The Moa. — Your readers will be glad to hear there are good hopes of a full and 

 accurate history of the Diuomis or moa being speedily forthcoming. Sir G. Grey, the 

 Governor, is carefully following up all the traces to be found of its existence. Having 

 lately visited the camp of the 18th Regiment, Rjyal Irish, at Waiugongoro, searches 

 have been made in that neighbourhood with success. My son, assistant-surgeon of 

 that Regiment, writes to me as follows: " I have been busy since my return digging 

 bones of the moa, the large wingless bird supposed to be extinct. I have obtained a 

 few good specimens, but unfortunately all the remains have been cooked. So very few 

 are to be procured whole, and eveu those are so fragile they require to be handled with 

 extreme care. I have a pretty fair collection already, and hope to increase it materially 

 before I leave here." — G. 8. Spencer; Wotlon-under-Edge, February 4, 1867. — From 

 the ' Birmingham Daily Post.' 



Bergyll near Hartlepool. — A fine specimen of the bergylt (Sebastes norvrgicus, Cuv.) 

 was taken yesterday at Seaton-Carew, near Hartlepool, and brought to me: it is about 

 thirteen inches long. This is the first instance on record, so far as 1 am aware, of this 

 northern fish having beeu captured so far south as the coast of Durham. Whether it 

 is to be considered as one of the symptoms or results of the severe weather we have 

 lately experienced I leave others to decide. — //. B. Tristram ,• Greatham, Slocklon- 

 on-Tces, January 28, 1867. 



A large Pike. — On the 22nd of last October Mr. Vale, of Farnham Royal, while 

 spinning in the Cumberland Lake, near Windsor, caught a very large pike : it weighed 

 twenty-five pounds and a quarter, while its length was three feet nine inches. It had 

 a very good back, but hardly any belly. If it had beeu in good condition it would 

 most probably have weighed about thirty pounds. — A. Clark-Kennedy ; Eton, 

 January 25, 1867. 



