4066 The Zoologist— July, 1874. 



April at Hay Tor, on Dartmoor; but as yet, up to the 3rd of May, 

 no common martins have been observed. 



Havens and Peregrines. — Whilst spending the day at Flay Tor, 

 I noticed a pair of ravens uneasily flying about the Tor, and some- 

 times swooping down close past me. Their actions evidently 

 betrayed the presence of a nest, and a iew days ago I heard that 

 some nestling ravens were offered for sale which had been taken on 

 the moor. On the same day (April 20lh) I likewise observed two 

 large hawks, which were soon joined by a third, circling about at 

 a great height overhead. I could not make out the species, but 

 think they must have been peregrines, as their wings seemed long 

 long and pointed, and not rounded, as in the buzzard. 



Cuckoo. — First heard about Cockington, near Torquay, on the 

 24th of April. 



Warblers. — I have noticed or heard all the annual visitants, 

 with the exception of the wood warbler. The blackcap, which 

 seems very plentiful this spring, was heard for the first time on the 

 14th of April. 



Gannets, ^c. — The gaunets have not yet left our coast, as 

 T noticed a good many at the mouth of the bay off Hope's Nose, on 

 the 27lh of April. 'J'liere were also a number of the great black- 

 backed and herring gulls about; and the razorbills, all in pairs, 

 were quite plentiful, decidedly more so than the guillemots, which 

 is curious, as the latter bird is by far the most numerous during the 

 winter season. Many individuals of both species showed yet signs 

 of the winter plumage. 



A. VON HiJGEL. 



Chelston Cross, Torquay, 

 May 4, 1874. 



Notes from Castle Eden. By Mr. John Sclater. 



On the 9th May, at 8 p.m., I heard the screaming of a bird close 

 to my window, and on looking out I saw two rats (full grown ones) 

 with a thrush lying between them : they had killed it in a moment. 

 The poor thing only lifted a wing once : it was bitten on the side 

 under the wing; the rats made no attempt to eat it or carry it 

 away, but ran playfully off. It was an old thrush, and had a nest 

 of four young close by. I had for some time been at a loss to 

 account for the unusual noise or alarum of the birds, especially in 

 the evening, and had looked in vain for cats or hawks. I never 



