3832 The Zoologist — Januarv, 1874. 



(which were probably congregating for tbeir departure), one wheatear and 

 one summer snipe ; these were probably two late birds that bad remained 

 after their companions. Swallows and martins bad apparently not begun to 

 think of departure. — Cecil Smith ; Lydeard House, near Taunton. 



Black Redstart in Summer Plumage hi November, — Since November 

 20tb I have almost daily seen one or more black redstarts in their dark or 

 summer plumage ; I have never but once before seen them in such a dress. 

 About ten or more years since I obtained a specimen, which I have still in 

 my possession. A year seldom passes but they are seen here during the 

 month of November in their less sombre but more plain plumage. To-day, 

 whilst watching one through a binocular, I could but much admire its 

 graceful flycatcher action of taking insects whUst on the wing. — Stephen 

 Clogg ; East Looe, November 25, 1873. 



The Tawny Pipit at Brighton. — To-day I saw a male tawny pipit {Anthus 

 camjjestris, Bechstein) stutfed at Mr. Swaysland's, whicli had been' taken in 

 a clap-net outside Brighton a few days back. It was in very good condition. 

 Since I first pointed this out as a British bird (' Ibis,' 1863, p. 37), various 

 other specimens have been obtained. The dates may be seen in Mr. 

 Harting's ' Handbook,' p. 108 ; they range from August 17th to the present 

 one, October 6th or 6th. We shall soon read what Mr. Dresser can tell us 

 about this species, as the number of his ' Birds of Europe ' containing it will 

 be out shortly. I for one confess I have a good deal to learn respecting it 

 as regards this country, where it seems to be found in autumn. — Geor/je 

 Dawson Rowley; Chichester House, East Cliff, Brighton, October 8. — 'Field,* 

 October 11, 1873. 



Short-toed larli and other Birds at Brighton.— On Saturday, the 15th 

 of November, a short-toed lark [Alauda hrachydactyla, Leister) was taken 

 in a net outside Brighton, and brought alive to Mr. Swaysland, who sent it 

 up to me. The bird, he says, is a male. On looking into my notes, I find 

 two others have been seen here, — September 20, 1854, and April, 1858. 

 The last was shot while dusting itself in a road, very near the spot where 

 the present example appeared. Curiously enough, the man saw this 

 example about, and went out on purpose to catch him. Mr. Hartiug, in his 

 ' Handbook of British Birds,' notices Yarrell's bird, Mr. Piodd's bird (Zool. 

 1854), and two others in the ' Zoologist.' " The flight" took place this year 

 with us on Sunday and Monday, October 2Gth and 27lh, and continued 

 more or less during the next few days, uniformly to the eastward. During 

 the week a person took seven hundred birds of one species alone. On 

 Sunday last, the barometer being very high, the air was swarming with 

 gnats, and the martins {Hirundo urhica) were hawking for them as in 

 summer. — George Dawson Bowleg. [This is only the sixth recorded occur- 

 rence of the short-toed lark in the British Islands, all of which, with one 

 exception, were captured in the South of England ; the exception occurred 



