$318 THE ZooLocist— DECEMBER, 1872. 
Common Sandpiper.—The annexed note is from Southwold, 
and communicated by Mr. Durnford :—“ August 24th. To-day I 
observed a flock of about fifteen birds on the beach: when 
disturbed they flew out to sea, after the manner of dunlins, and 
alighted a little further on. Ihave never noticed these birds in 
such a locality before.” On the 26th I saw more at Cley than [ 
had ever noticed before; some of them were on the beach, but on 
the side of it furthest from the sea.—G. 
Woodcock.—I hear that a single bird has been about Gresham 
all the summer, possibly the mate of the one which was brought 
me (Zool. S.S. 3227).—G. 
Green Sandpiper.—Mr. H. Durnford has favoured me with the 
following note from Southwold, in Suffolk :—“ August 15th. I pro- 
cured a fine old bird to-day: they are scarcer than usual this year. 
August 23rd. This morning I noticed five more up the river: they 
frequent the small creeks and ditches at the back of the wall, more 
than the main river, and are nearly always to be found in the same 
spot; they scarcely ever whistle, except when in the air searching 
for a good spot for feeding: when put up they rarely utter any 
sound: in this they would seem to differ from other sandpipers. 
About the 20th I observed one perched on a post.” This species 
has not been scarce in Norfolk, some having come under my 
observation during the month. I flushed two on the 30th at Burn- 
ham, from exactly the same spot where [ flushed one on the 29th, 
and they uttered no cry in rising, but they are not always thus 
mute.—G. 
Lesser Tern.—On the 1st I watched these elegant birds deliver- 
ing shrimps and fish to their full-grown young, at Blakeney. I 
have noticed that various other birds continue to feed their young 
long after they must be able to cater for themselves. After a sum- 
mer’s rest I found them remarkably confiding and tame, but they 
will get‘wary enough by being shot at before they leave; the fore 
part of the crown was beginning to be mottled in the old ones. 
Yarrell says that he has “frequently seen them alight on the 
water” (B. B. vol. iii. p. 411), which is entirely contrary to my 
experience. Some other points in his account have been com- 
mented upon in the ‘ Zoologist’ (S.S. 100).—G. 
Richardson’s Skua.— On the 22nd I received one from 
Blakeney, agreeing with the middle figure in Yarrell’s ‘ British 
Birds. —G. 
