TuHE ZooLocist—OcToBer, 1872, 3259 
reared their young are already making their appearance in our 
estuaries and on the sea-coast. A week or two since I saw a pair 
of fine young peregrine falcons, which had been taken from the 
nest at St. Alban’s Head, and brought to Plymouth to be stuffed. 
They were almost fully fledged, with a very little down showing 
here and there on the back and wings. These young falcons were, 
it appears, taken by a sailor in quite a systematic way, he being 
lowered by a rope one hundred feet from the top of the cliff, and 
as he said, taking the precaution to stuff his cap full of wadding, in 
case of stones falling on his head. One young bird flew out of the 
nest, falling in the sea two hundred feet below, and was drowned, 
but afterwards picked up by a boat. The old birds were flying 
round, making a great noise, whilst the nest was being robbed, but 
did not attack the man. Ten more young ravens have been 
brought from the neighbourhood of Dartmoor since I last wrote, 
and the dealer who bought them tells me that he can get a ready 
sale for as many as they can bring. 15th. Observed a small 
company of common sandpipers on the bank of the Laira, which 
had come from the breeding-places on Dartmoor. 31st. Visited 
Rhame Head, on the coast near Plymouth, where the herring gulls 
breed, but, strange to say, saw only three or four young birds on 
the rocks able to fly: the old ones were still numerous, and made 
a great noise. 
August 1st. Shore birds have begun to make their appearance. 
Observed many curlews, dunlins, and ringed plovers on the “ West 
Mud” banks, and several young herring gulls in their dark brown 
plumage flying about the harbour, but I am sorry to add that many 
parties have commenced shooting these harmless birds. 
August 3rd. Wheatears, both young and old, are now numerous 
on the coast, which is always the case for a few weeks previous to 
their departure. 
August 5th. There were several small flocks or families of the 
‘common sandpiper on the banks of the Laira, and some herons 
which allowed the train to pass within forty yards of them without 
taking flight. 
August 15th. Observed swifts for the last time: these birds have 
been unusually plentiful with us during the summer. 
August 17th. Remarked starlings at a great height in the air, 
hawking in circles after flies in the manner of swallows. This 
habit I have occasionally observed before in still, calm weather. 
