1906 The Zoologist— November, 1869. 



country had followed the prevailing fashion and gone to the sea-side. 

 My clothes were soon covered, and hundreds became entangled in 

 the mane of my horse : these were of two sizes, from that of the com- 

 mon ant to others four times the bulk (probably the females) ; all were 

 very dark brown or black, with the extremity of the abdomen a 

 shade lighter. 



Lapwing. — August 25. We have now some considerable flocks in 

 the marsh : their principal rendezvous is at present the turnip fields ; 

 they also went at low water to the mud-flats. This is, however, an 

 unusual circumstance, and I never knew them do so unless in a 

 lengthened period of hot dry weather. 



Wliimhrel. — August 25. The heat to-day was excessive; the very 

 cattle were oppressed by it, and there was not a breath of wind to 

 temper the fiery glow. Several times during the day I heard far up 

 — very far up — in the cool thin atmosphere the familiar call of whim- 

 brel, but only once distinguished the passing flock : they were mere 

 specks, a string of about thirty flying en echelon. VVhimbrefhave 

 now passed over this village, going southward, more or less frequently 

 since the middle of July : they usually fly at an immense height. 



Rook (variety). — There is a curiously maiked rook in this neigh- 

 bourhood : the peculiarity is in the wings: in each there is a single 

 white secondary quill, the remainder of the plumage being of the 

 ordinary colour. 



Wild Duck (A. boschas, variety). — A wildjduck (female), which I 

 shot this morning, Sept. 1st, in the marshes, differs from"the ordinary 

 type in having the general plumage some shades darker : on the 

 lower neck and a portion of the breast there is, in singular contrast to 

 the rest of the plumage, a very perfectly formed crescent-shaped patch 

 of a pure white : the concave side is uppermost, the horns running up 

 to a point on each side of the neck. I have seen some of the 

 "foreign" ducks, mentioned in the ' Zoologist' (S.S. 1737), marked 

 exactly in the same manner. 



Knot. — September 8. Shot two out of a small flock on the flats this 

 afternoon. I had no difliculty in getting within easy range. Neither 

 of my specimens is in the complete winter dress : the^under parts in 

 both are dashed with a pale reddish buff, more conspicuously on the 

 flanks and chest. 



Redshank. — September 10. First^ arrival ; five] seen' on] the mud- 

 flats. 



Gray Plover. — Soptember^lO. Heard calling on the flats. 



