4036 The Zoologist— Jcne, 1874, 



underneath the load. The poor bird was in a shockingly weak condition, 

 and apparently almost lifeless, its comb being quite black, but food and 

 water having been given, it speedily showed animation, and now looks very 

 little the worse for its long fast. — Surrey newspaper. 



Mater Rail. — Mr. Griffiths, geologist at Folkestone, informs mo that on 

 the 21st April, while on Folkestone AVarren, an extensive landslip adjoining 

 the beach, he observed in a small privet bush a water rail, which allowed 

 him to approach near enough to capture it in his hand. This, no doubt, 

 must have been a migratory individual which had just crossed the 

 channel, and the circumstance is perhaps worth recording. — J. II. Gurney ; 

 April QS, 1874. 



Kcstiiig of the Garganoy and Mild Duck. — Although during the last 

 three years at least one pair of gargancys have undoubtedly bred in our 

 marshes, we have never hitherto been able to find their nests. However, 

 on the 28th of April my brother nearly trod upon a nest containing several 

 eggs. Although the old duck sat remarkably close, she had probably only 

 just commenced sitting, as upon blowing an egg for our collection we found 

 no indication of incubation having commenced. The nest had a very thick 

 lining of down, and was situated upon a low piece of ground covered with 

 reeds, which had been cut some months since and had just begun shooting 

 again. We have since carefully abstained from visiting the spot for fear of 

 disturbing the old bird. A single male has since been seen not far off. 

 The same day (April 28th) we counted eleven mallards on the wing together, 

 which looks as if we had plenty of ducks breeding close by. Since writing 

 the above, my brother has examined the nest, and I am happy to say he 

 found the eggs covered up and quite warm ; lie also saw both the old birds 

 and several broods of young wild ducks. — G. T. Rope. 



Caspian Tern at Birniingliam. — I was yesterday on our Bolton Park 

 Reservoir, a large piece of water of about seventy acres, and which is a 

 favourite boating pool for the young people of Birmingham, when I was 

 surprised to see what I at first took for a common gull, but which, upon a 

 closer inspection, I was assured from the flight must be a tern. As I had 

 never seen so large a specimen of the genus Sterna, I endeavoured to get 

 sufficiently near to examine its principal points, in order to discover what 

 it really was. Unfortunately I could not get within two hundred and fifty 

 yards, and I had no glass with me, but I could plainly see a slightly forked 

 tail ; and from the size of the bird and this peculiarity, I cannot but fancy it 

 must have been the Caspian tern, as it was altogether too large for any of 

 the other kinds of Sterna, and the tail too sliglitly forked. I went to the 

 reservoir this morning with my glass, intending to have a good look at the 

 interesting stranger, but, alas ! he was nowhere to be seen ; but as we have 

 several largish pieces of water in the neighbourhood we may possibly hear 

 more of him, and should I do so I will write to you again. There were a 



