3912 The Zoologist — March, 1874. 



death, I hear, was caused by its not being able to get over its 

 moult; the rest of its plumage was perfectly white. 



John Gatcombe. 



8, Lower Durnford Street, Stonehouse, Plymouth, 

 February 6, 1874. 



Correction of Error. — In my notes for September (Zool. S. S. 3785, fifth line), 

 in speaking of the hen harrier, for " a bird very numerous with us of late years," 

 read " a bird very scarce with us," <Jrc. — J. G. 



Ornithological Notes from Lancashire (continued from Zool. S. S. 3801). — 



Bartailed Godwit. — Sept. 20, 1873. A male bird of the j-car shot to-day 

 had not yet assumed its winter plumage, having the buff-coloured breast 

 peculiar to young birds. Its stomach contained sand, small angular pieces 

 of gravel and fragments of small mollusks. 



Sanderling. — Sept. 27. One shot on the Formby shore to-day, in full 

 winter plumage. 



Gray Plover. — Sept. 27. Four birds of the year shot to-day on the flats 

 still contained slightly buff-coloured breasts. There are now enormous 

 flocks at the mouth of the Mersey : they do not associate with other waders, 

 though occasionally a straggler is seen with a party of dunlins. Not. 1. — 

 Some observed to-daj in full winter plumage. 



Dunlin. — Oct. 1. Enormous flocks on the mud-flats. Nov. 1. — This 

 afternoon I shot a female, which had not quite completed its autumnal 

 moult, a few chestnut feathers being still left on its back and wings, which 

 have a very pretty effect against its sober winter dress, and a few black 

 feathers still remain on its breast. 



Iceland Gull. — Nov. 8. This afternoon, whilst out with a friend, picked up 

 a winged immature bird on the Formby shore ; the wound was recent, but as 

 the bone was only broken at the carpal joint we carried it home alive, and it 

 is now quite strong and well. It feeds quite greedily on fish, refuse, and 

 indeed scraps of any kind, frequently shaking its food in a pan of water 

 before swallowing it. 



Heron. — Nov. 17. The stomach of a female I examined to-day contained 

 three frogs in various stages of decomposition, one nearly perfect. 



Leach's Petrel. — An adult specimen was shot at the end of November or 

 beginning of December near Southport. 



Tawny Owl. — Dec. 8. The stomach of a bird examined to-day contained 

 the remains of a blackbird. 



Linnet. — Nov. 8. I saw at the bird-market, Liverpool, to-day, a linnet 

 whose whole head, beak and neck were white. It had about an even number 



