31386 Tue ZooLocist—JuLY, 1872. 
nest, in which she deposited her egg, and a second similar egg 
about five days later. 
May 27. Spotted flycatcher first seen. 
May 29. A male cuckoo was killed near Torquay, which still 
retained some portion of its last year’s plumage: two secondary 
feathers in each wing were entirely rufous. The bars on the inner 
web of all the primaries were considerably tinged with rufous, and 
the outer webs of most of them were slightly marked on the edge 
with a similar tint, which was also noticeable across the lower part 
of the throat immediately above the breast. 
J. H. Gurney. 
Ornithological Notes made in Devon and Cornwall during the 
Month of May, 1872. By Joun GatcomBE, Esq. 
Gulls, Dippers, Whinchats, Ring Ouzels, §c.—May 6. On my 
way from Plymouth to Brent, by train, I passed close by a large 
flock of herring gulls and some herons on the mud-banks at Laira, 
and observed some yellow wagtails in the meadows near Plympton ; 
by the way, it is really astonishing to see how fearless the gulls and 
herons have become of a passing train. Jays and magpies were 
numerous near Ivybridge and the viaducts quite alive with jack- 
daws, under the wooden arches of which they breed in great 
numbers. On the rocks and stones in the River Avon, on my way 
to Dartmoor, I remarked many common sandpipers, gray wagtails 
and some dippers. My friend Mr. Gervase Mathew iuformed me 
that when fishing on the River Walkham, near Plymouth, on the 
2nd of May, he saw several young dippers out, but scarcely able to 
fly; also a family of young gray wagtails, evidently fresh from the 
nest. On Dartmoor I found the ring ouzel very plentiful, heard 
their notes in every direction, and found a nest containing four 
eggs in a large tuft of heath close by the river-side. Observed a 
great many whinchats also: this species is local with us, and 
generally found on furze-bushes growing in swampy places, which 
I have also remarked to be the case in Ireland. On the moor 
were many lapwings uttering their peculiar cries and diving in the 
air close by, and carrion crows foraging about (I think) in search 
of eggs. Notwithstanding the weather was very cold and stormy, 
a great many swifts and cuckoos were to be seen, 
