The Zoologist — December, 1870. 2393 



Leadeiihall Market. By J. H. Gorney, jiin., F.L.S. 



I CANNOT help thinking that many ornithologists are unaware of 

 the rarities which are exposed for sale in Leadenhall Market. A few 

 dealers used to make a practice of visiting the great emporium of 

 wild-fowl, and I am informed that formerly one of the principal 

 London bivd-stuffers had a standing order for all rare birds ; but now 

 I see Poniarine skuas hanging for weeks without a purchaser, and 

 many other rare birds mutilated to make skulls or plumes. There is 

 nothing I like less than seeing good specimens wasted, and many of 

 the birds which are in the market at this time of the year are as fresh 

 and clean as need be. 



In the hope of inciting others to look out now that the winter is 

 approaching, 1 will enumerate what 1 have picked up this autumn, 

 during the short space of three weeks. 



On the 3rd of November I bought a spotted redshank, for which 

 I gave one shilling : of course the owner did not know it from a 

 common one : in the same way many a rare bird may be bought for a 

 trifle. On the 10th I got an immature night heron ; it was perfectly 

 fresh and clean. Redthroated divers have been I may say abundant ; 

 1 must have seen upwards of a score, but of course none of them were 

 in full plumage. 



I have also not failed to notice marsh harriers, greenshanks, long- 

 tailed ducks and storm petrels ; but I left them in the market, as I did 

 not know any friend who wanted them. 



What I valued most was a female capercaillie assuming male plumage, 

 never having seen one in the flesh before, and indeed only one stuffed. 

 All the male capercaillie are now in full plumage, and some magni- 

 ficent specimens have been sent over; but it is very rare to get them 

 with perfect wings. On the 3rd I bought an old male weighing nine 

 pounds and a half, probably the heaviest which has been exposed for 

 sale this season. 



Of course among the unusual number of gray phalaropes which 

 have occurred this autumn some have found their way to Leadenhall, 

 and 1 got one fine old bird. 



But the feature of the month has been the uncommon abundance of 

 the Poraarine skua. Between the 19th and the 26th I saw seven, and 

 subsequently an eighth specimen; one was from Holland, one from 

 Wisbeach, and the remainder from Yarmouth. A very respectable 



