The Zoologist— April, 1873. 3465 



From the mild open weather and excessive rainfall,* they have 

 not suffered from a scarcity of food. This is, moreover, evident 

 from their fat and plump condition. 



Shorteared Owl. — I am frequently putting up these owls from 

 rough grass, drain-banks and stubbles: to judge by their castings, 

 which I find on the drain-sides, they prey mainly on field mice 

 {Mus nylvaticus, Linn.) These mice have been most numerous 

 during the autumn and winter, and have done much damage in 

 some of the plantations by gnawing off" the bark round the young 

 ash plants. It is not unlikely that the large number of owls which 

 have visited us this winter may have been attracted to some extent 

 by so plentiful a supply of food. 



Golden Plover. — February 1 5th. Spring note first heard. 



Scaup Duck. — February 15th. A flock of scaup off the coast in 

 this parish is composed of males and females in about equal 

 numbers. 



Snow Bunting. — February 15th. Observed some of these 

 buntings running rapidly along the strip of sand at the foot of the 

 embankment, picking up small fragments of chalk and sand. 



Wild Ducks. — February 2-2nd. We have had scarcely any wild- 

 fowl of any description on the ponds, becks and drains, the weather 

 having been never sufficiently severe to drive them inland from 

 sea and river. Large flocks, however, of various wild-fowl have 

 frequented the Humber during the last six weeks: gray geese, 

 brent geese, pochards, tufted ducks, goldeneyes and many wigeon. 

 I am told also that immense flocks of various wild-fowl have visited 

 the upper reaches of the river near the mouths of the Trent and 

 Ouse. 



Meadow Pipil. — February 25th. Wind east, sharp frost and 

 driving snow. This morning during the storm I noticed many pipits 

 running over the weeds in our main marsh drain ; they were picking 

 off some small substances from the floating leaves of the water 

 grasses. 



Brownheaded Gull. — February 2(jth. The brownheaded gulls 

 have I see in several instances acquired their summer caps. 



John Cordeaux. 



Great Cotes, Ulceby, Lincolnshire, 

 March 3, 1873. 



* The rainfall in this district in 1872 was 35-74 inches, the average of the last 

 seven years, being 27-4:6 inches. — J. C. 



