The Zoologist — November, 1869. 1917 



witli cgp;s. 26th. Nif^hijar's eggs. June 12th. A black tern shot. Au<riisi 22nd. Saw 

 a wlieatear. — E. C. Sliibbs ; Post Office, Henley-on-Tliamcs, September 21, 1S69. 



Rare Birds al C/irislchurch. — September 1st. Sabine's snipe. 4ih. Snipe (bluish 

 ash). 8th. Litile bittern. 24th. Gray phalarope and reeve. 28th. Sabine's snipe. 

 The snipe s])ot on the 4lh is a very beautiful specimen, just the colour of a phalarope. 

 The phalarope was shot by Captain Pucock in the harbour, after the late winds. — 

 William Hart ^ Stms ; Wrsi End, Ckristchurrh, Hants, September 30, 1869. 



Ornithological Notes from South Devon. — Black Tern. A young specimen of this 

 species was shot at Torbay, on the Lst of September. 



Glossy Ibis. One of these rare birds was shot on the River Dart, not far from 

 Totncss, on the 20th of September, and was brought to Mr. Shopland, the naluralist, 

 al Tor(iuay. It is now in my possession, and is nearly in full plumage: its colours 

 are — bill blackish green, tinged with purple; naked skin round the eye dark olive- 

 green; crown and sides of head (as far back as the ear-coverts) dark greenish brown, 

 streaked with dull greenish white; neck, uape, throat and breast deep rich reddish 

 brown ; back dark rich green, enlivened with glittering shades of purple and bright 

 green; wings and tail dark brownish green, richly bronzed willi purple; below 

 brownish green ; legs and feet blackish green. I have given the colour of the ibis 

 thus minutely as it varies to a very great extent in different specimens. 



Arctic Tern. Two fine adult birds of this species were shot in Torbay, on the 28th 

 and 29lh of September. I heard of a third of these terns (a young bird) being shot a 

 day or two later in the same locality. 



Skua Gull. A number of these birds were observed in the bay on the 7ih of 

 October. The young pomarine skua answers most nearly to the description I received 

 of these birds from a man who had observed them. — A. de Hugely Florian, Torquay, 

 October 9, 1869. 



Effects of the late Inclement and Unseasonable Weatlu-r. — The effects of the late 

 inclement and unseasonable weather upon the swallow tribe has been most distressing. 

 Numbers of swifts took refuge and were caught in our churches ; I bought several that 

 were caged and set them al liberty; and a relation who was at the time visiting Ex- 

 mouth told me that a swift flew in at the parlour-window and settled on his knee. It 

 was blowing a gale from the north-east, and the poor birds were flying so feebly and 

 low outside that the boys were knocking them down with sticks and stones. A flock 

 of wild gray geese, loo, came in from the sea, and after making the circuit of the 

 neighbourhood, high in the air, went off to sea again with loud cackliogs. — John 

 Gatcombe; 8, Lower Durnford Street, Slonehouse, Devon. 



Honey Buzzard in Norfolk. — On the 18th of September a fine male honey buz- 

 zard was shot at Webbon : it was brought by a friend to me for preservation. On 

 dissection I found its crop and stomach to be literally crammed with wasps, larvte and 

 pieces of honeycomb: I took quite half-a-pint of food from them. — T. E. Gunn ; 

 21, Regenl Street, Norwich. 



Ring Ouzel in Cornwall and Devon. — The ring ouzel pays us a double visit 

 generally in the South of England: ihey may be seen in the spring months on their 

 way to norlliern countries lo breed, and in the autumn the old birds and the broods of 

 the season may be observed on iheir southern return to the temperate countries. 

 Fh'cks of these birds may be now observed on our tors and cairns on the Boughton, 

 Browuailly and Kilmar ranges of our moors, and sometimes thirty or more may be 



