9364 Birds. 
7. e., in that state which occurs twice every year, first, when assuming the livery of the 
female, and, secondly, when resuming the livery of the male. I failed to detect any 
sign of the hybridity which Mr. Newton suggests. With regard to the female, 
I quite concur in Mr. Newton’s opinion as to its being the female of the common wild 
duck, Mr, Doubleday also saw the drawings, and concurred in this view of the case. 
I would not trouble my readers with this note had I not originated the doubt as to 
these birds being the ruddy shieldrake (Zool. 9121), and had not Mr. Hudson kindly 
sent the drawings for my opinion. I need scarcely add that neither of the drawings 
have any resemblance to the ruddy shieldrake, and I feel much obliged to Mr. Hud- 
son for the pains he has taken to rectify an accidental error.— Edward Newman.] 
Eider Duck at Filey.—Yesterday I received, in the flesh, a beautiful specimen of 
the eider duck (Anas mollissima). It is the first I have seen that has been shot on 
the coast of Yorkshire. The bird was a young male, a few creamy white feathers 
appearing on the neck, in front, aud wing-coverts. It was sent me by Mr. D. Brown, 
of Filey, who says that it was shot on Filey Brigg the day before (November 3rd). It 
was accompanied by a female, which was also shot, and which I hope to secure for my 
collection, as well as the male bird, which is at present in the hands of Mr. Richard 
Richardson, of Beverley, for preseryation.— W. W. Boulton ; Beverley, November 5, 
1864, 
Longtailed Duck at Scilly—A female, or immature male, specimen of this arctic 
duck was killed at Scilly in the past week—Hdward Hearle Rodd; Penzance, 
November 5, 1864. 
The great Autumnal Migration of Birds.—The great migratory movement of our 
winter visitors seems to have taken place from Tuesday last to the end of the week, 
during the prevalence of the late easterly winds. Woodcocks, snipes, jack snipes, red- 
wings, fieldfares and starlings have appeared in large numbers from the eastern part 
of the county to the Scilly Islands, and my nephew writes me word that on the 3rd 
instant he walked up in a short distance fifty snipes and thirly jack snipes at Tre- 
bartha, in the eastern part of the county, and that his keeper saw, in the morning dawn, 
woodcocks flying westward, which accounts for our market here being fully stocked on 
Thursday, and for the larder of the governor of the Scilly Isles having yesterday 
morning forty-one woodcocks hanging up.—Id. 
Gannet at Filey.—On the 18th of August last a most perfect specimen of this bird 
was killed off Filey by a fisherman. It was an old male, in full plumage, and was 
very kindly presented to me, in the flesh, by Mr. T. Buckley, who was visiting Filey 
at the time of its capture. Two or three of these birds have been captured off Filey 
during the past summer, and one or more are generally to be met with on the East 
Coast of Yorkshire every year. I have an immature specimen in my collection that 
was taken alive by a farmer’s boy in a field at Walkington, near Beverley, several years 
ago. This bird was kept alive by a man in Beverley, who, when he became tired of it, 
killed it for stuffing. The distance from the sea, at the point where it was taken, 
would be at least fourteen or fifteen miles, as the crow flies, but not more than seven 
or eight miles from the Humber. It is, I believe, very unusual to meet with the 
gannet so far inland. I have never before known one shot in this neighbourhood, 
although I have seen several cormorants (Carbo cormoranus) that had been shot near 
Beverley. Indeed three of these birds had been shot, at various intervals, actually 
perched on our beautiful Minster, whose lofty stone walls and towers they had probably 
mistaken for Nature’s rocky pivnacles—W. W. Boulton ; Beverley, November 2, 1864. 
