The Zoologist — May, 1867. 759 



Golden and Green Plovers (see Zool. S. S. 690).— On the 2nd of January, the 

 moruing after the first heavy fall of snow this year, large flocks of peewits continued 

 passing overhead, and from that date until the breaking up of the frost great numbers 

 congregated in certain sheltered bits of water-meadow around here, which continued 

 almost entirely free from ice or snow. There were some small flocks of golden plovers 

 at the same places, but these latter I only saw once or twice, and they were not nume- 

 rous: within a day or two after the thaw commenced both species left us entirely. On 

 the 18th of March there was another heavy fall of snow; at noon on that day I saw a 

 very large flock of peewits passing overhead and flying S.S.E. ; stragglers and small 

 parties continued passing in the same direction at intervals until about 3 p. m., and 

 for some days there were a great many in the water-meadows. At the same time very 

 large flocks of golden plovers appeared in the neighbourhood. I had one of these birds 

 sent to me on the 23rd of March, shot about four miles from here, by a farmer, who 

 told me that he never remembered seeing larger flocks than those which had visited 

 his farm during the previous three days ; indeed he said that they were there " in 

 thousands," but very wild and unapproachable. This is an unusually late date for 

 golden plover to be seen here. The bird I received had almost entirely assumed the 

 black throat and breast of the breeding plumage, only a few scattered white feathers 

 being visible. — James Shorlo,jun. 



Occurrence of the Avocet near Weymouth. — I have this dav had an opportunity of 

 examining a specimen, in the flesh, of the avocet (R. avocetta, Linn.) It was shot 

 yesterday (March 19) by Capt. Pretor, of Belfield House, and is now in the hands of 

 Mr. K. Rolls, of Weymouth, for preservation. It is an adult male, and in excellent 

 plumage. Captain Pretor met with the bird in the Fleetwater, an inlet of the sea 

 estuary from Portland Roads in a westerly direction, and separated from the West Bay 

 by the Chine Beach. This inlet, from Abbotsbury to Micherell, has many small 

 streams emptying iuto its waters. At low water much mud land is uncovered, and 

 with small rills threading the mud in various directions. At the western end is 

 situated the swanuer, and also the decoy, the property of the Earl of Ilchester. It is 

 an excellent feeding-ground for wading birds. I am sorry to say that, in this case at 

 least, the avocet did not visit Dorsetshire willingly. I attribute its appearance to the 

 continued hurricanes from the eastward that we have lately experienced, and fully 

 expect to hear of many rare birds on the eastern coasts. I hear that a hoopoe has been 

 killed here, but I have not yet seen it, although I believe it to be a fact. — William 

 Thompson ; Weymouth, March 20, 1867. — From the ' Field' Neivspaper. 



Little Bittern in Cornwall. — I have just received another specimen of the little 

 bittern, in fine plumage, in fact exactly the same as the one I received about 

 this time last year from Scilly, which is noted in the 'Zoologist ' (Zool. S. S. 311). 

 The present bird was killed in an orchard in the parish of St. Hilary, near St. 

 Michael's Mount. Its weight is just under three ounces ; the Scilly bird was three 

 ounces exactly. — Edward Hearle Rodd ; Penzance, April 12, 1867. 



The Smew, Green Sandpiper, Sf-c, in Suffolk. — A fine old male smew was shot 

 about the 17lh of January last, near Beccles; about the same date a female specimen 

 of the green sandpiper was obtained near Rendlesham, and on the 29th of March a 

 male of the hooded crow at Worlingham, near Beccles. — T. E. Gunn. 



Guillemot and Razorbill near Eastbourne. — A few of these birds have been pro- 

 cured, but it is surprising how much scarcer they are than they were a few years since. 



