3530 The Zoologist — May, 1873. 



Waders flyiug at Dusk. — March 22nd. This evening, about sunset, I ob- 

 served large flocks of dunlins and gray plovers, with a few curlews, winging 

 their way up the Mersey : I have noticed the same thing before on bright 

 evenings. I believe they fly to the extensive mud-banks above Liverpool to 

 feed during tbe night, and take the opportunity of passing the town when 

 they will not be molested. They only fly on fine nights, and are then very 

 intent on reaching the desired goal, frequently passing close to one ; and the 

 wary old curlew not performing his usual curve to keep out of gunshot. — 

 //. Durnford. 



Common Cormorant and llerring Gull returning to Nest at Flamborongh 

 Head, — In a note, dated March 29th, Mr. Bailey, of Flamborough, informs 

 me that this spring both the cormorant and herring gull have returned to 

 nest on the cliffs. Both these species formerly nested in some numbers at 

 Flamborough, but were driven away by the ceaseless persecution of the 

 sliooting excursionists. Speaking of the Speeton Cliffs, he says that he 

 never before saw so many birds in all his life. When a gun was fired, the 

 birds (guillemots, razorbilled auks, puSins, and kitliwake gulls) came off the 

 ledges in such numbers as "fairly to darken the sky." On the 31st, he 

 shot two ringed guillemots, and saw about ten others. — John Cordeaux ; 

 Great Cotes, April 3, 1873. 



Blacklicadcd ftulls and Fieldfares. — On Sunday, the 6th instint, whilst 

 walking near Grendon, five miles from here, a flight of about a dozen black- 

 headed gulls {Lanis ridibundus] skimmed over the ploughed fields, some of 

 these within twenty yards of my head : they were passing to the south-west. 

 I also observed two rather large flocks of fieldfares. Is it not rather late for 

 these birds to be with us in quantities? — Egbert D. Hamel ; Tamworth, 

 Aprils, 1873. 



Ostrich-Farming at the Cape. — We have much pleasure in supplying a 

 few facts gleaned from Mr. G. F. Heugh, of Aberdeen, who is a most in- 

 telligent and enterprising ostrich-farmer. The fine parcel of " tame " 

 feathers, as they are termed, which were offered on the public market 

 yesterday, and realized what we beheve may be considered very satisfactory 

 prices, were the pluckings of fifty-four birds, about fourteen months old, 

 running upon the farm of Messrs. Heugh and Meintjes, in the Aberdeen 

 district. The lot weighed 10 lbs., which is a very good yield for young 

 birds. The feathers were all taken from the wings, no tails (except 10 oz.) 

 having been pulled. The black feathers have not yet become matured, but 

 will be fit for plucking in October next. Mr. Heugh farms near Aber- 

 deen, and has a flock of seventy birds, that run upon an enclosed laud, 

 extending over some 1000 acres, which is kept exclusively for their use. 

 The enclosure is made by a stone wall, and in most places four feet high, 

 but where stone was difiicult to get, by wire fencing. The construction of a 

 stone wall costs, at an average, lOd. per running yard ; the wire cost, put 



