9046 Birds. 
both as to ground-colour, disposition of markings, and even in shape, in the same nest: 
while making these observations, I heard a difference in the voices of the host of birds 
overhead ; by paying a little more attention, I found that two or three outsiders had a 
short crisp note; one of these | brought down; it was a roseate tern. I next select 
others from the main body of the host, whose notes were somewhat more prolonged, 
but still harsh and clear; ov shooting two or three of these I found them to be arctic 
terns: the more prolonged and nasal cry of the majority of the birds, I found when 
shot to proceed from the common terns, for I shot two or three of each species here 
enumerated to satisfy myself, and, to judge by the excitement displayed by all at my 
presence, I am persuaded they—that is, each species—had deposits of eggs laying 
round me, yet I doubt if the most skilful oologist could have successfully separated the 
eggs of any particular species from the others. Many years afterwards I found a 
small colony of arctic terus upon a bare rock in the Sound of Harris, in the outer 
Hebrides; the eggs presented the same variety as those above mentioned. These 
variations may not exist in the eggs of those grouse, but, should they closely resemble 
each other, it could not be admitted as a positive test of the identity of species. The 
best way of testing the matter would be to have the Norway grouse introduced into 
Scotland: a few generations (of grouse I mean) would settle the question.—James 
Cooper; Museum, Warrington, March, 1864. 
Bittern near Beverley.—On the 19th of February last a very fine old male specimen 
of the bittern was shot on Hornsea Mere, a lake of considerable extent, about twelve 
miles from Beverley, and between one and two miles from the sea. Another, probably 
the female, bad been shot on the same water a short time previously. The male bird 
is in my collection; I had it in the flesh and dissected it. The stomach contained two 
young pike, one seven and the other eight inches long: both fish had been swallowed 
(as I believe is always the case in predacious birds that swallow their prey whole) with . 
the head directed downwards, and apparently about the same time, for both fish were 
nearly equally acted upon by the digestive solvents of the stomach: the skulls of these 
fish were both perfectly denuded of flesh and integument, and the bones themselves 
separated one from another: the skin and flesh of the shoulder was quite pulpy; that 
of the back, sides and belly so far sufiened as to slip off easily on being touched with 
the finger; but that of the caudal third, and the tail itself, was scarcely acted on at 
all, and retained the consistency and appearance of the fish when fresh. The intestine 
measured 8 feet 4 inches in length from pylorus to anus. The bird was altogether 
larger than the female specimen I recorded in the ‘ Zoologist’ (Zool. 8961), and which 
was shot on the 4th of January, on the River Hull. I have preserved the lower jaw 
of one of the pike taken from the bird’s stomach, also the stomach itself and the 
intestine, in case any of the readers of the ‘ Zoologist’ might like to examine them 
further.—W. W. Boulton; Beverley, March 9, 1864. , 
Bittern at Eastbourne-—Thbree specimens of the bittern have been shot in our 
marshes during December and January; one, on the 15th of January, a great beauty, 
which I saw and examined.—John Dutton; Eastbourne, March 19, 1864. 
Ruddy Shieldrake, Spotted Sandpiper and Bittern near Epworth.—In the last 
week of January a fine specimen of the ruddy shieldrake was taken in Capt. Healey’s 
decoy, near Ashby; and single specimens of the spotted sandpiper and bittern have 
been shot here within the last few days. —Samuel Hudson; February 18, 1864. 
Pintail, Longtailed and Scaup Duck at Eustbourne.—On the 27th of February a 
friend of mine shot a beautiful male and female of the pintail on the Crumble Pond: 
