The Zoologist — November, 1870. 2385 



a more interesting distinctive character in its plumage in this seasonal state of 

 change. In Schinz's Tringa the under parts are of an unsullied white, that being the 

 colour observable at both seasons. In the dunlin, in the partially assumed change 

 plumage from summer to winter, the under parts are mollled more or less, showing the 

 change from the dark ventral band to the pure white in ils winter plumage as the 

 purre. I need not say that the great character of the while upper tail-coverls in the 

 present specimen is similar to those I obtained before from the Hayle Estuary. — 

 Edward Hearle Rodd; Penzance, October 10, 1870. 



P.S. — I forgot to meniion in my communication yesterday that the spotted 

 crake (for the first time), redbacked shrike, redshanks and ring ouzels were all at 

 Scilly last week.- E. H. R.; Oct. Wth. 



American Stint. — Referring to your inquiry as to the species to which the 

 American stint shot by me at Northam Burrows belongs, Mr. Gould, to whom 

 I showed the bird, considers it to be a specimen of Tringa Wilsonii. — Marcus S. C. 

 Richards; Clifton, September 2A, 1870. 



Little Stint, Src, near Leigh. — On the 17th of September I shot a little stint, which 

 was flying in company with another. I also obtained two knots (local name " male") 

 and a brace of wigeon. I saw large flocks of gulls and two or three good broods of 

 teal and wigeon, also two greenshanks, but was unable to get near them. Wigeons 

 were seen on the 1 6th for the first time this season. Wild-fowl have decidedly 

 increased this year, and are more easily approached : this increase is no doubt due to 

 the protection afforded to the birds during the breeding season by the Sea Birds' 

 Preservation Act. The ten shilling tax on guns has likewise prevented a lot of boys 

 popping away at the birds, to the great satisfaction of the regular gunners. — A. H. 

 Smee. 



Gray Phalarope near Southampton. — A gray phalarope was shot near Southampton 

 on the 20ih instant: it is the only specimen I have met with since the autumn of 

 1866, when they occurred in such numbers in different parts of the country, as 

 recorded in a pamphlet by Mr. Gurney, a copy of which that gentleman kindly 

 presented to me. The summer plumage of this specimen still predominates, the grav 

 winter dress appearing as yet only on the scapular feathers, while in those of the 17th 

 and 24th of September, 1866, the gray colour was much mure advanced. I conclude 

 the present specimen must be a young bird of the year. — T. H. Goatley ; 4, Strand, 

 Southampton, October 22, 1870. 



Gray Phalarope at Bishops Lydeard. — T have just had a gray phalarope brought in 

 killed close by the railway station here at Bishops Lydeard. — Cecil Smith; Lydeard 

 House, October 23, 1870. 



Gray Phalaropes in North Devon : Moulting of Birds. — It would seem that the 

 heavy gale of last week intercepted a number of gray phalaropes on their migration, 

 and caused theui to put in for shelter on our western coasts. I have heard of sixteen 

 having been shot in one day at Inslow, in North Devon. Five of these I have 

 examined, and am surprised to find that they are but slightly advanced in their 

 change towards their winter dress. One would have thought that by the middle of 

 October the gray plumage of winter would have been completely assumed; but a bird 

 I have which was shot, some years since, in the first week of September, shows fewer 

 of the yellow-edged feathers, and is grayer than any of the birds I have seen from 

 Instow, obtained six weeks later in the season. In these last the throats are still 



