738 The Zoologist— May, 18fi7. 



Swallow. — 19th. When passing through the village of Carisbrooke 

 to-day, I observed a swallow flying about the church tower, in which 

 it doubtless roosts : though this is the last I have seen, two or three 

 were observed in this neighbourhood on the 22nd. As to the supposed 

 occurrence of the American barn swallow in England (Zool. S. S. 480), 

 I cannot but think, with Mr. Newman, that it " requires further inves- 

 tigation," but it need not entail the destruction of swallow-life antici- 

 pated, for though the American species, in form and flight, is very 

 similar to our chimney swallow, it differs from it in size and colour. 

 The former is smaller, and has the chin, neck and upper part of the 

 breast of a deep bright chestnut, not " light chestnut," as stated by 

 Mr. Halting. Though Wilson says (vol. ii. page 48) that the belly is 

 of a " light chestnut," at page 43, we are told that it is of a " bright 

 chestnut," and the belly of a specimen before me, though somewhat 

 faded, having been shot some years ago in Canada, is still of a 

 brightish chestnut, but many shades lighter than the breast. Mr. 

 Halting remarks, "I have several times seen a bird which I take to be 

 the barn swallow of America, and which I believe is not uncommon 

 in England." I know the species well, but have never met with it in 

 Great Britain, and I trust no ornithologist will, by a wholesale 

 slaughter, attempt to procure a specimen. Independent of size, so 

 different do they appear in colour when seen from beneath, the 

 least observant could hardly fail to distinguish them at a moderate 

 distance. 



Gray Phalarope. — It would appear, from what I have lately heard, 

 that an immense flight of these rare birds passed over the island during 

 the night of the 16th of September, their cry or call-note having been 

 heard by several of the inhabitants of Newport and the vicinity. 

 Those subsequent!)- found along our shores and on the inland pools 

 and ponds were doubtless stragglers from the main body, too weak or 

 exhausted to continue on their migratory course, for they were found 

 easy of approach and were readily shot, and I am informed that they 

 were both lean and empty. 



Blackbreasled Tern. — A beautiful specimen of this elegant little 

 species was shown me lately, having been shot late in the spring at 

 Newtown. It measures about 9^ inches in length, and the wing from 

 flexure 8|. The tail is but slightly forked, the feathers regularly and 

 gradually increasing step by step. The head, neck and under parts 

 black, as well as the breast. 



Little Auk. — I have lately seen a well-prepared specimen of this 



