992 The Zoologist— November, 1867. 



puiilla) and the little gull (Larus minutus). They were both shot in the Abbey 

 meadow, close to the town of Leicester, in January last, and stuffed by Mr. W. 

 Elkington, of that place, who sold them to Mr. Mansfield, of Birmingham, bird's-eye 

 maker, &c, in whose possession they now are. I have a letter from Mr. Elkington 

 containing ihe names of the two gentlemen who shot the birds, and describing the 

 Abbey meadow as a very large field of grass land, bounded on one side by the canal, 

 and on the other by the "Old Soar;" and in winter time often oveiilowed with 

 water. — Thomas Goatley ; 4, Strand, Southampton, September 16, 1867. 



Redlhroaled Diver netted at Penzance. — This morning, in four fathoms water, 

 I caught, entangled in my uet, a speckled diver (the redthroated diver in its first year). 

 The bird is in very good plumage. — Thomas Cornish; Penzance, October 5, 1867. 



Sabine's Gull at Weston-super-Mare.'— \ have been told that a specimen of this 

 little fork-tailed gull was shot here about the 14ih of September. By the description 

 of it given to me it must have been an adult. The shooter of it did not know its 

 rarity, and unfortunately it was not preserved. This makes the third example of this 

 gull which has been obtained on the Weston sands during the last decade. — Murray 

 A. Mathew ; Weston-super-Mare, October 3, 1867. 



Bujf'uns Skua on the Norfolk Coast. — Two male examples of this rare species were 

 shot on the -Uli instant, on the beach at Beeston Regis, and passed into my hands for 

 preservation. The first is an adult bird, the stomach containing several feathers, which, 

 on examination, I found it had plucked from its own breast. The second specimen is 

 an immature bird, in the stomach of which I found a solitary beetle, quite soft from the 

 action of the stomach, so that when touched it fell to pieces. The legs and base of 

 the toes are of a bluish slate: in the adult bird tuey are dusky black. — T. E. Gunn ; 

 21, Regent Street, Norwich, October 9, 1867. 



Piebald Variety of the Common Skua. — On the 26th of September I received, for 

 preservation, a specimen of the common skua from Braughiu, near Ware, in Hertford- 

 shire. It was killed by the telegraph-wires near that place. The crown of its head 

 aud its throat were mottled with small patches of white feathers. — Id. 



Storm Petrel in Norfolk. — This uncertain little visitor, after the lapse of several 

 years, has again made its appearance on the Norfolk coast, and apparently in some 

 numbers. I have received as many as three specimens for preservation during the lust 

 few days. Au adult male was obtained, on the 2nd instant, at Little Fransham, near 

 Dereham; a female, on the 4th, at Beeston Regis, near Cromer; and the third speci- 

 men, a male, was picked up dead yesterday (October 8th) on the beach near the last- 

 named place. The first-named was in good plumage ; the tips of the wings and tail 

 of the female were apparently slightly worn. All the birds were in very poor condi- 

 tion, and seemingly starved out : a few fragments of insects, some muddy substance 

 aud pebbles comprised the eutire contents of their stomachs.— Id. 



Storm Petrel at Cromer. — A storm petrel was picked up on this beach on the 

 6ih instant: it was dead, but quite fresh. The weather has been stormy for several 

 days past.— T. F. Buxton ; Cromer, Norfolk; October 7, 1867. 



Storm Petrel at Aldeburgh. — Six storm petrels were seen flying about near the 

 Orford Lighthouse : two were shot by Mr. Hcle, of Aldeburgh, aud another by 

 Mr. Greenwood. They are rare birds on this coast, and very seldom indeed shot. — 

 E. Charles Moor; Aldeburgh, Suffolk, October, 1867. 



