3396 The Zoologist— February, 1873. 



The rednecked phalarope is very scarce in Devon and Cornwall. 

 Observed flocks of redwings going west ; weather very cold and 

 showery. Many gannets have been seen in the channel lately. 



Golden Plover, Sfc. — Oct. 14. Several scaups, goldeueyes and 

 wigeon in the Plymouth Market, with a few snipes, but golden 

 plovers very plentiful. 



House Martin. — Oct. 17. Observed a solitary house martin flying 

 about the streets. 



Siiinvier Duck, l^c. — Oct. 18. Went into Cornwall and observed 

 large flocks of fieldfares, redwings, lapwings, and a few herons and 

 curlews on the moors ; also flights of titlarks, apparently just arrived. 

 Two summer ducks {Anas sponsa) were killed out of a small flock 

 of four on the River Erme, near Plymouth, but I have no doubt 

 they must have escaped from some private pond, although they 

 were said to have been exceedingly wary. 



Arrival of Winter Visitants. — Oct. 22. Wind blowing hard from 

 the N.N.E. and very cold. A great many cormorants and shags 

 diving about in our bays and estuaries. The common gull or 

 "mew" has also returned from its breeding station, and robins, 

 wrens and kingfishers are now to be found taking up their winter 

 quarters under the cliffs on the sea-coast. Notwithstanding the 

 late gales I have remarked but few terns. 



Gray Phalarope, Sic— Oct. 26. Several woodcocks in the market, 

 and on the 27tli two gray phalaro))es were seen swimming oflT the 

 Plymouth Hoe, just in front of an inclosed pool kept as a store-pond 

 for marine animals intended for the Crystal Palace Aquarium. 



Robin and Humming-bird Moth. — About a month since, when 

 greatly interested in watching the actions of a humming-bird moth 

 among some garden flowers, a robin flew down from a high wall 

 and hovered, kestrel-like, over the moth for several seconds, with 

 its legs and feet thrust out in a most awkward manner, as if it were 

 going to clutch it, when suddenly the moth, seeing its danger, 

 vanished "like magic." It was indeed a most extraordinary, and 

 at the same time ludicrous, sight to behold these two hovering one 

 above the other, as the robin appeared to be imitating the actions 

 of the moth to the best of its ability. 



Bing Dotterel and Limpet. — In the October number of the 

 ' Zoologist' there was a circumstance mentioned concerning a 

 sanderling and cockle. Now 1 can relate something very similar 

 which happened some years ago on the Plymouth Breakwater. 



