The Zoologist— October, 1873. 3717 



together, and in others only one. Cormorants were plentiful on the 

 rocks below, and a quantity of martins were flying in front of the 

 high cliffs, on the faces of which no doubt they had their nests. 

 Common buntings, too, were plentiful on the walls and bushes in 

 the fields above. 



6th. Watched several families of starlings in grass fields, the old 

 ones in constant attendance on, and feeding, their young, notwith- 

 standing they appeared well able to provide for iheraselves. 



7lh. There were large flocks of herring gulls in the Sound ; and 

 I am sorry to add that many have been lately killed and taken to 

 the birdstuffers, notwithstanding the Sea Birds Act. 



10th. Walked along the coast beyond Bovisand, some miles 

 from Plymouth, and was surprised to find a family of six common 

 sandpipers on the rocks, which had already left their breeding- 

 place on the moor. I do not remember having before seen these 

 birds so early on the sea coast after the nesting season. 



14th. Went to the valley of the river Tamar, near Launceston, 

 and observed many gray wagtails on the rocks and stones by the 

 side of the stream, feeding their young, although the youngsters 

 seemed pretty expert in catching insects for themselves. Common 

 sandpipers are now becoming rather numerous on the banks of our 

 estuaries, and will soon distribute themselves freely along the sea 

 coast preparatory to their departure for the winter. Within the last 

 few weeks many kingfishers, young and old, have been killed and 

 brought to the birdstuflfers. 



16lh. i\Iy friend Mr. Bignell, of Stonehouse, told me that he had 

 seen a family of six Cornish choughs at the Bolt Head, near Sal- 

 combe, on the Devonshire coast ; and the same gentleman having 

 observed a pair of these birds a month or two before at the same 

 place, I have no doubt that they bred and brought out four young 

 ones, which would account for the family of six seen on the second 

 occasion. Bolt Head is, I think, quite a new locality for the 

 Cornish chough. 



21st. Saw an adult specimen of the Norfolk plover running 

 about in a garden at Stonehouse, and was informed that it had 

 been shot at and wounded slightly in the wing some three or four 

 months before, near Liskeard, in Cornwall : I mention this as the 

 species is so rarely met with in Devon or Cornwall. A redbacked 

 shrike was caught with bird-lime and brought to Mr. Rogers, of 

 Plymouth, who deals in live birds; and some years since he had a 



SECOND SERIES — VOL. VIII. 3 C 



