4102 The Zoologist — August, 1874, 



observations, the latter bird will apparently have arrived a week 

 later than the former. If the observer is incompetent or lazy, and 

 sits in his parlour until the flycatcher appears opposite the window, 

 I need hardly say the error is vastly increased. This case is only 

 an illustration of many similar ones. 



At present I have little more to say on this subject. Perhaps 

 some will consider that 1 have already made a mountain out of a 

 molehill ; it may be so, but such was not my intention. I merely 

 wished to direct attention to a (gw points which should, 1 think, 

 qualify some of the conclusions we draw from statistics, showing 

 the arrival of migratory birds: how we should take into account the 

 circumstances which influence the probability of detection — 

 namely, the size, note, and habits of the bird ; how we should con- 

 sider also the habits and competency of the observer, and how 

 careful we should be to select those which are trustworthy and 

 accurate. If these things be allowed for, 1 am of opinion ihat 

 birds will be found to migrate with greater regularity than is 

 sometimes supposed, and that the average first appearance of 

 some migrants should be placed at an earlier date than the con- 

 clusions founded on observations would lead us to believe was the 

 correct one. 



Richard M. Bareington. 



Fassaroc, Bra.v, Co. Wicklow, 

 May 3, 1874. 



Ornithological Notes from Devonshire, Cornuall, Sfc. 

 By John Gatcombe, Esq. 



(Continued from S. S. 3945). 



March, 1874. 



2ud. Observed a large flock of herring gulls congregated at their 

 usual breeding-place near the Rhame Head on the Cornish coast, 

 a few miles from Plymouth ; they were crying loudly and uttering 

 their peculiar laughing or alarm-notes, as in the nesting season. 

 Remarked also an immature black redstart at the Devil's Point, 

 Slonehouse. 



4th. Guillemots and razorbills are now to be obtained in every 

 stage of plumage, from the immature of the year to the perfect 

 breeding-dress. 



8lh. There were several dabchicks on the Laira to-day. The 

 way in which these birds manage to evade pursuit when hard 



