2940 THE ZooLoGisT—FEBRUARY, 1872. 
It was in very good plumage: it has since been sent to the Zoological 
Gardens. 
Virginian Colin.—A Virginian colin was shown to me by a birdstuffer in 
Nottingham two or three days ago, which was killed by a gentleman when 
partridge shooting, in November, close to Nottingham. It was in good 
plumage, and has been pretty well set up, though it had been kept too long 
before sent. It is, to all appearance, a wild bird, and every feather in its 
tail is perfect. None of this kind of bird has been turned up in this county, 
to my knowledge. I have bought the bird, and it is now in my collection. 
Montagu mentions one as having been killed near Mansfield. 
Bittern.—A fine bittern (Botaurus stellaris) was shot by the gamekeeper 
of Mr. Samuel Watson, on the 12th of December, on the banks of the 
Trent, opposite to Clifton Hall. It is some years since a bittern has been 
killed so near Nottingham. 
Variety of the Waterhen.—A very beautiful variety of the waterhen was 
shot by the same man who killed the bittern. It had white spots all over 
it, which were thicker and larger towards the tail. I think it is very 
seldom we meet with varieties in the Gallinule tribe.—J. Whitaker, jun. ; 
Ramsdale House, near Nottingham. 
Rare Birds at Plymouth.— During the past month (October) the following 
birds have come under my notice in the neighbourhood of Plymouth ;— 
One gray phalarope, one young pomarine skua, several common and arctic 
terns, one young eared grebe, a young redthroated diver, and a fine old 
northern diver in nearly full summer plumage: this last was on the 30th of 
October, rather early for the appearance of this species in the Plymouth 
Sound. On passing the River Exe, on my way to London, on the 4th of 
November, I observed some large flocks of brent geese.—John Gatcombe ; 
Stonehouse, Plymouth, November 9, 1871. 
Buzzard, Peregrine Falcon and Merlin at Cobham.—We have had one 
or two buzzards here this winter, and they still remain (January 10th), but 
not more than three at the most—nothing like the large flight of twelve or 
fifteen that visited us last year. I have myself seen one on three occasions, 
and one of these was being pursued and teased by a very small hawk, 
which, though a long way off, I am nearly sure was a merlin, as it was too 
short in the tail for a male kestrel. I also saw a peregrine about the 31st 
of December: it was flying straight along, as if migrating. I saw a gray 
wagtail yesterday, a great rarity at this season: hitherto I had only seen 
them in September.—Clifton ; Cobham Hall, near Gravesend, January 6, 
1872. 
Missel Thrush and White’s Thrush.—With reference to the remark in 
the last number of the ‘ Zoologist’ (S. 8. 2912) as to the possibility of 
mistaking an immature missel thrush for White’s thrush, I am desirous of 
calling attention to an easy mode of distinguishing the two species when 
