THe ZooLoGist—JANUARY, 1872. 2903 
lapwings everywhere, and fieldfares flying about in an unsettled 
manner. 
December 10th. Made a clearance of the snipes in St. Mary’s 
Moors: from some cause or other game lay very well to-day, and 
ducks, usually on the pool and shy, lay close in the wet ditches. 
During this frost about forty couple of full and jack snipes in 
nearly equal numbers, with some cocks, ducks, wigeon and teal 
were shot. 
December llth. Change of wind to S. and 8.W. till the 20th, 
with high temperature. 
December 15th. A buzzard appeared, followed by one or two 
more, which left after a few days: the first comer, however, 
remained feeding on rabbits on the Abbey Hill, and roosting in the 
fir trees there. 
December 17th. A male blackcap was feeding on the berries of 
a myrtle in the Abbey Gardens: he looked very weaka nd in bad 
plumage, and was not seen afterwards. The moors gave twelve 
couple of snipe, a woodcock and a female pintail, in the afternoon. 
December 21st. Saw large flocks of duck, wigeon and shovellers. 
Cold weather again, with a northerly gale on the night of the 21st. 
December 22nd. Bitter east wind, threatening snow. Walked 
over the high land of St. Mary’s in the afternoon. About three 
o’clock snipes began to appear from somewhere ; it was difficult to 
tell the direction they came from, as they descended from a great 
height in wisps of four or five to perhaps twenty, sweeping down on 
the ground with a whish of the wing like a flock of golden plover, 
passing close by: some settled on the high land, but it was difficult 
to tell whether the birds remained or only rested for a few minutes 
preparatory to making a fresh start. There were one or two jack 
snipes on the bare downs, and the wet fields round the moors 
were at dusk perfectly alive with both species in a very disturbed 
state, 
December 23rd. Started for the moors immediately after break- 
fast, and believe the snipes were actually leaving the island at the 
time, as those put up did not settle in again, but went straight away 
westward before the east wind, which at about two o’clock brought 
up a heavy snow-storm lasting for three hours, during which I shot 
several snipes flapping about overhead like woodcocks in the 
evening. At last I had to take refuge in a farm-house. There 
were eighteen couple of snipe in the bag at night, From the 23rd 
