The Zoologist — November, 1874. 4209 



number of quills of geese and great blackbacked gulls, depositing them for 

 safety in the crevice of a rock, but the hoard having been discovered by the 

 crows it was unceremoniously appropriated by them, and long afterwards 

 the quills were to be seen sticking like so many skewers around the brim of 

 the nest crossed and interwoven in a manner well calculated to afford great 

 strength, even though they certainly gave it a very odd appearance. I have 

 since found several nests each having a foundation of bones." — P. 135. 



The late Thomas Edraonston stated (Zool. 462) that a small 

 flock of hoopoes appeared in Shetland some years ago in the 

 beginning of January : this is evidently a mistake, and arose from 

 Mr. Edmonston's misreading the manuscript of a correspondent 

 who wrote "hoopers," not "hoopoes." Nevertheless the hoopoe 

 has occurred in Shetland, although only two instances have been 

 authenticated — the first on the 21st of August, 1860, and the second 

 on the 15th of August, 1861. The following notes on the habits 

 of this pretty bird are interesting : — 



" Whatever may be its habits elsewhere, they certainly have in Shetland 

 differed greatly from all written accounts which I have met with. AVhen 

 alarmed it flies rather high, but seldom to a greater distance than three or 

 four hundred yards, almost invariably alighting near a loose stone wall, 

 among the crevices of which it will presently hide, sometimes indeed passing 

 quite through, and suddenly appearing a long way off upon the other side. 

 It seems to prefer wet swamjiy places, yet I have known it frequent the 

 dryest and most barren fields for days at a time. It runs with considerable 

 swiftness, and even when undisturbed is exceedingly restless, seldom 

 remaining in one spot for many seconds. Upon the wing it presents a 

 very singular appearance, the flight being rapid, wavering, and more like 

 that of a butterfly than of a bird. It is not easily distinguished upon the 

 ground, but the white spotted wings and tail render it a very conspicuous 

 object when flying." — P. 143. 



The golden plover is a bird in which every naturalist is inte- 

 rested ; we have its history, as regards Norfolk, admirably told by 

 Mr. Stevenson, and as regards Lincolnshire by Mr. Cordeaux ; in 

 these counties it is a regular migrant, moving northward from the 

 last-named county at the end of March ; but in the cold spring of 

 1871 a few trips remained until the last week in April, and in the 

 same season seven birds stayed until the 2nd of May. Mr. Gray 

 tells us it is found throughout the Outer Hebrides at all seasons of 

 the year, and that it is extremely abundant over the whole of the 

 western counties of Scotland, breeding on all the hills of moderate 



