3906 The Zoologist — March, 1874. 



redbill will alarm his faithful mate, and that the pair, with forces 

 combined, are not lo be attacked with impunity. 



(To be continued.) 



Ornitholoyical Notes from Torquay. By Barou A. vox HiJGEL. 



Notwithstanding tlie unusually mild weather we have been 

 enjoying this winter, Torbay has been visited by a good many 

 birds. 



Black Ducks. — At present black ducks are very abundant, but so 

 shy and wary that only very few are killed. They are mostly to be 

 seen in large flocks, — 1 have counted over forty birds in one, — which 

 are divided into several smaller ones, the whole group of birds often 

 forming a semicircle. When alarmed black ducks do not rise 

 in a body simultaneously, but each of the small flocks in succession ; 

 then, after wheeling about in a wild and irregular manner, rejoin 

 into one large flock and resume their diving operations in some 

 less disturbed portion of the bay. Single birds are very rarely seen, 

 and I believe Ihey are mostly wounded individuals. Most of the 

 birds killed are shot on the wing, as one or other of the small flocks 

 sometimes fly within gunshot of a sailing boat when wildly flying 

 about after being frightened. 



Scoters. — All the scoters I have seen belonged to the common 

 species, Oidemia nigra, as I could not distinguish in any the 

 characteristic white wing-band of the velvet scoter {O.fusca). 



Gannet. — Gannels have not been very plentiful on our coast this 

 winter ; but on some days large numbers have entered the bay. 

 About a fortnight ago a flock of several hundred birds were following 

 a shoal of fish oflf Paignton, and the effect produced by the contrast 

 of the lovely white of their plumage against the leaden sky and 

 deep green sea was very striking. All the birds I have noticed 

 were in adult plumage, and young birds seem to be at all seasons 

 very rare on our coast: the only specimen I know of is a bird in 

 the second year's plumage in the town museum. 



Guillemots. — The guillemots, which are as usual abundant, are a 

 regular puzzle to me, for they are to be found in all plumages from 

 the dark summer to the light winter dress, and if anything birds 

 with black heads — the supposed summer dress — are more numerous 

 than those with the white. All the razorbills 1 have seen were, 



