The Zoologist— March, 1873. 3443 



a most extraordinary manner, half swimming and half walking ; 

 after which it immediately dived, coming up again not in the least 

 discomposed with a small rock fish in its bill. 



Forktailed Petrel, Purple Sandpiper and Black Redstart. — 

 Dec. 2. A forktailed petrel was caught off the port. Observed three 

 purple sandpipers on the rocks under the Hoe : they were as usual 

 very tame, allowing an approach to within a few yards. I have seen 

 these birds crouch to allow the spray of a large wave to dash over 

 the rock on which they were feeding ; then, rising on their legs the 

 moment it had subsided, would pick up their food with the utmost 

 activity, crouching again on the approach of another. Saw a black 

 redstart near the same place. An unusual number of great black- 

 backed gulls, shags and kittiwakes have been brought to the 

 birdstuffer's lately, and one mew, with its stomach full of earth- 

 worms. It is a pity the starving kittiwakes do not resort more to 

 the fields. 



Storm Petrel, Black Redstart. — Dec. 3. A storm petrel was 

 observed flying, swallow-like, over some inundated meadows at 

 Laira, near Plymouth, and on the same day I saw another black 

 redstart near the Devil's Point, at Stonehouse. 



Dec. 4. At Laira, in a small patch of mud just uncovered by 

 the tide, I observed the following species : — two herons, a large 

 flock of dunlins and ringed dotterel, one kingfisher, and a flock of 

 about a hundred blackheaded gulls; also, on a small rock 

 surrounded by water in the harbour, fifteen large gulls, two crows 

 and a cormorant huddled together in the most friendly manner. 



Dec. 9. The day after a tremendous gale I observed above 

 three hundred gulls on the West Mud, with a sprinkling of shags 

 among them, and some northern divers off" the Hoe. 



Raven, 8fc. — Dec. 10. Took a ramble on the coast beyond 

 Bovisandj and observed several northern divers, shags, cormorants, 

 and a host of blackheaded gulls, the latter swimming in the surf 

 close to the shore picking up flies or some other food among the 

 decayed drift-wood, in the manner of a phalarope. Although the 

 blackheaded gull breeds inland, and generally frequents our rivers 

 and estuaries, yet it appears quite at home on the sea, at times, in 

 the roughest weather. On some rocks called the " Reannies," a 

 kw hundred yards from the shore, were resting peaceably a great 

 many large blackheaded gulls and cormorants, and on the cliff's 

 not far from me was a pair of fine ravens: presently, "croak, 



