The Zoologist— October, 1870. 2345 



westward and southward duvin? the week past. On Thursday, the 8lh of September, 

 an alpine swift was captured iu a room at Brudenhall Hotel, under very singular 

 circumstances. The bird had repeatedly "rapped" at the window fur admittance, 

 and at last the occupant of the room, who had been busy cleaning his nun, opened it 

 and admitted the "illustrious stranger," which proved to be a very perfect specimen. 

 It was in company with another, who did not, however, ([uite see the joke of being 

 "taken in" like his companion, and speedily "put off." — N. Fenwick Hele, in the 

 ' Pield' of September 17 th. 



Pigeon Races in Belgium. — The race recently flown from Bazas has been followed 

 by a second grand concuurs from Bordeaux to Brussels. This was flown on Saturday, 

 the 23rd of July, when 1226 pigeons were liberated at five in the morning, the wind 

 being north-east. The winner of the first prize reached home at a qnarier to one on 

 Sunday, the distance being 734 kilometres, or about 4(55 miles. On the same day a 

 concours of 860 birds was flown from Bagneres de Bigorie to Liege. The first prize 

 of ISOOf. in value being given by the King of the Belgians, and the second of lOOOf., 

 third of 900f., &c., by the Society. The prizes awarded to the winning birds in this 

 race amounted to nearly £700. — From the ^ Field. ^ 



Solitary Snipe and Quail in Denbighshire. — On the 8th of this month my father 

 killed, near here, a fine specimen of the solitary snipe: it has been sent to Shrewsbury 

 for preservation. On the I4th, while out partridge shooting, my father shot two brace 

 and a half of quail iu the same neighbourhood : it has also been ascertained that there 

 were in the same locality two nests besides, this summer, but unfortunately the eggs 

 were destroyed. — JV. J. Kerr ; Maesmor, Denbighshire, September 18, 1870. 



Woodcock and Godwit. — With reference to the godwits and woodcocks, the serrated 

 claw in Limosa raelanura has long been known, but that it is not constant is proved 

 by a specimen in my possession, which has the claw of the middle toe not in the least 

 serrated. Orniihologisls have long ago decided that the markings on the outer edge 

 of the first quill in the woodcock are no criterion of sex: I have dissected several, and 

 it does not hold good. Yarrell remarks of them, that they are rather indications of 

 youth than of sex, the marks getting "obliterated by degrees." ('British Birds,' ii. 

 p. 595. — J. H. Gurnet/, jun. 



British Sandpipers at Scilly. — The elegant form of our sandpipers (Tolani) renders 

 them always agreeable visitors, whether on the margin of water or on the wing. There 

 is a shyness and wildness in their nature which add to their interest with sportsmen. 

 The common sandjiiper, green sandpiper, redshank sandpiper and dusky sandpiper 

 (the spotted redshank of Bewick and Gould) have all appeared, in their southern or 

 autumnal migration, at the Scilly Isles during the last fortnight. I believe there is 

 little or no seasonal change of plumage in the common, greeu or wood sandpipers of a 

 remarkable character, but in the redshank and dusky sandpipers the change of plumage 

 is striking, especially in the dusky sandpiper, which in summer becomes almost sooty 

 black, from pale cinereous in winter. The dusky sandpiper in its first year previous 

 to the autumnal moult shows a plumage well represented by Bewick in his figure of 

 the spotted redshank, with the spots perhaps a little less defined: when they moult, 

 which they do at this period, this state of plumage gives way to an uniform cinereous 

 brown on the back, with the under parts almost white, instead of being marbled over 

 brocoli-brown. I mention this to induce further observations from those who may 

 obtain specimens at this time; for in a fiue example of a bird just sent from Scilly, I 



