3440 The Zoologist — March, 1873. 



two before : it was flying alone. This is the first time I have seen 

 or heard of the species near here. I am told that it was common 

 on the Northumbrian coast forty years ago. The specimen was a 

 male, and from the plumage I think a bird of the second year. 



Fulmar Petrel. — Nov. 16. A fulmar petrel was brought to me 

 which had been picked up on the beach ; it was much decomposed, 

 but the feathers were tight. I buried it in quick-lime for two days, 

 and have succeeded in making a fair mounted specimen of the 

 skeleton. 



Waxwings. — Nov. 17. I saw three waxwings: the first I observed 

 roosting on a thorn overhanging the park-gate, where it no doubt 

 had been feeding on the haws. My first thought was, my gun ; but 

 the church-bells were ringing close by, and I have never learned 

 to shoot on a Sunday. I confess this temptation was not easily 

 overcome ; however, I tried to knock it down with a stone, but 

 missed, of course : it flew up and joined two others on the top of 

 a tall ash, where they were feeding on the buds. I consoled myself. 

 by having so good an opportunity of watching their habits, and as 

 one of them was lazy enough to roost at 2.45 P.M., 1 thought they 

 might be there in the morning: this turned out to be true. I went 

 at daybreak next morning, and directly saw one of them on the very 

 top branch of a large beech. I fired, and it flew towards me, falling 

 dead at my feet, in beautiful condition. At 11 a.m. I found the 

 other two at the same place feeding on the haws. I shot one; the 

 other got away, and I have not seen or heard of it since. The 

 two I obtained were male and female. There was scarcely any 

 diflerence in their plumage, but the female was rather the larger: 

 both birds had six waxen appendages to each wing. It is stated 

 in Yarrell that the female has never more than five ; and the 

 account there given of their shy and restless habits are totally at 

 variance with what I observed. They sometimes sat perfectly 

 motionless ; their position was then very smart and upright, but 

 rather round-shouldered, the crest pointing upwards and the beak 

 inclined downwards. When feeding they kept uttering a sort of 

 mournful note, not unlike what I have heard the female robin make 

 in the breeding-season, and they much reminded me of the slow, 

 lazy-looking manner of the bullfinch. It may be said that these 

 birds had probably just arrived and were fatigued; but some years 

 ago a game-watcher here met with seven feeding on the berries of 

 the mountain-ash, when they allowed him to approach them quite 



