The Zoologist— November, 1867. 991 



Hybrid Black Grouse on Bodmin Moors.— Oo several occasions I have heard of and 

 received specimens of hybrids between the pheasant and gray hen, from the extensive 

 moors between the Cheese Wring and Jamaica Inn, on the Bodmin Moors. 

 It is singular that on these occasions no instance of the black cock has been 

 noticed. My nephew writes me word that, on Tuesday, the 24th of September, 

 his setters came to a stand at a secluded marsh in these moors, and up got a 

 brood of apparently black game: the old gray hen was very remarkable. He 

 shot and sent me a young cock in entire moult, with patches of black, the 

 tarsi partially feathered. I have recommended him to let the brood get full 

 feathered, when no doubt, as on former occasions, the tail will appear partially 

 elongated. I have the one referred to by Yarrell as having been in the possession of 

 my father, Dr. Rodd. The specimen referred to as in the possession of Sir W. Call 

 was killed at the same time.— Edward Hearle Rodd ; Penzance, September 26, 1867. 

 A Sagacious Hen.— A correspondent writes: On Wednesday a hen was taken from 

 Nantmole to Ynisnewdn, Swansea Valley, in a basket (with a bag over the basket) in 

 the hottom of a cart, (he distance between the two places being five miles. On 

 Saturday morning the hen was again seen quietly feeding in Nantmole Farm-yard, 

 having apparently been displeased with her new quarters, and come home lo roost."— 

 From the ' Bristol Mercury,' October 5, 1867. 



Pigmy Curlew at Aldeburgh.—Anolher pigmy curlew has been shot upon the 

 mere last week, and I saw a fourth, which was shot at, a few days ago, all four speci- 

 mens occurring within a few days.— A. Clark-Kennedy. 



Extraordinary Flock of Wood Sandpipers at Rainham, Kent.— On the 26th of 

 July last my brother, G. E. Power, fell iu with a large party of wood saudpipers on 

 some marshes near Rainham, Kent, a sudden change of wind on the previous night, 

 viz-., from S.W. to N. and N.E., with a deluging rain, having apparently driven these 

 birds out of their usual line of migration. At first he put up but three, one of which 

 he shot, but at the report others rose on all sides, and joining in one large flock flew 

 round and round at some height, continually whistling; their number he estimated at 

 from eighty to one hundred. They soon pitched again, and, dividing into small parties, 

 flew round the ditches like dunlins: he followed them up, and without any difficulty 

 succeeded in obtaining four more ; the greater part then crossed a creek to a neigh- 

 bouring marsh, although many still remained where he first found them. Next 

 morning he only met with one, and after that only occasionally came across a few, 

 seeing the last on the 6th of September. This flock appears to have consisted princi- 

 pally of young birds, but of those which he obtained one was plainly an old one, and 

 had not entirely lost the breeding-plumage, as the worn tail and scapular feathers 

 showed, and proved to be a female. In this specimen the quills are brownish, very 

 different from the blackish brown of the other birds ; the whole plumage, too, is of a 

 dirty brown colour with few spots on the back, and these nearly white, not yellowish as 

 in the other specimens. All these birds were in excellent condition and were loaded with 

 fat. I may mention that we had only twice previously met with this species at Rain- . 

 ham, viz., one seen in July, 1865, and a second which I obtained on the 15lh of last 

 July on the same marsh where this large flock appeared.— F. D. Power ; Ladywell, 

 Lewisham, October 2, 1867. 



Little Stint and Little Gull at Leicester. — I have just seen two birds which I 

 believe are of very rare occurrence in this country, namely, the little stint (Tringa 



