•2108 Thk Zoologist — April, 1870. 



of the year. All tlie specimens were in good condition, and rather fat. The food 

 consisted of small fi^li (including the ten-spined siiclileback, seveial specimens of 

 which 1 found entire in their stomachs), worms (I look six larjje ones from the 

 stomach of one liird), and shrimps: these were mixud with the remains of fish-bones, 

 pebbles and bits of sea-weed: other items fouud consisted of bits of chalk and 

 mutlon-fat. The weight of specimens ranged from (immature birds) three ounces to 

 (adult birds) four and a half ounces. — T. E. Gunn. 



Little Gull in the City. — On the 26lh of February last I was shown, by the 

 kindness of Mr. Ashinead, of Bishu))sgate-street, a very fine male of the lillle gull 

 that was ca])lured at noon on Friday, the lOih of February, in Cornhill, in ihe City 

 of London. — Fredeiic/c Bund; March 1, 1870. 



Kittlwuke Gull. — Mr. Cordeaux notices two young kitliwake gulls in the plumage 

 of the first winter, in which the feet were not black but greenish gray (S. S. 2053). 

 I have a specimen, killed in the beginning of January, which presents the same 

 character; otherwise it agrees perfectly with Mr. Blake-Knox's description. Do some 

 kittiwakes change, as to the colour of their feet, earlier than others? Perhaps 

 Mr. Blake-Knox, to whom we are indebled for so much valuable information as to 

 ihe puzzling changes of plumage in this family, will favour us with his opinion. — 

 Edtcard R. Alston; 205, Bath-street, Glasgow, March 10, 1870. 



Wild-fowl III Iliistinys, — A brent goose and a shieldrake were shot on the coast 

 last month; and in the game-shops 1 have seen for sale a male goosander, two 

 mergansers, a bittern and several redshanks, hanging np amongst quantities of wild 

 duck, snipe, wigeon, \-c., chiefly from the LnucUin markets. -^ i4/u'tn S. Bell; 

 March 12, 1870. 



Gilthead at Penzance. — By the kindness of Mr. John Symons, jun, of Mayon, a 

 specimen of the gilthead {Chrysophrys aurata of Cuvier and Yarrell) was brought to 

 n)e on the 1st of March. It was taken oflf the Land's End. As this fish but raiely 

 occurs in British seas, 1 trouble you with a few di tails. Length over all 18^ inches ; 

 eye to origin of caudal 13 inches; depth at origin of dorsal 5^ inches; thickness on 

 line of depth 2J inches; between and in front of, rather than over, the eyes was an 

 iridescent goldeu band, which faded ofl" into iridescent gieen on the top of the head, 

 and ended in a faint iridescent violet patch on each side of and across the head just 

 over the top of the operculum. On and across the operculum, and on the body of the 

 fish at the origin of the lateral line, was a large irregular dusky, scarcely black, spot. 

 Colour over the back leaden blue, on the sides silvery blue, and on the belly white. 

 There were traces of longitudinal lines along the lower sides and belly, but if ever of 

 a yellow colour they had faded. The irides had lost their colour. The dentition was 

 well marked, and was in close accordance with Yarrell's vignette of it. 'ihe fin-rays 

 of my specimen were as under : — Dorsal 11 — 13, the two first spinous rays being 

 joined from the base about half-way up the anleiior ray, which was the shorter. 

 Pectoral 16, the first two joined for the lower portion of their length. Ventral 1 — 6, 

 as I believe, but owing to the stiffness of this fiu when I examined it I am not 

 certain about the latter figure. Anal 2—1 1, the first spinous ray being a double ray, 

 connected throughout its whole length and having a single termination. Caudal 17, 

 the central ray being very broad and soft. Above (or rather inside the upper edge of) 

 the pectoral, and springing from the base of it, was a bit of free cartilage, an acute 



