The Zoologist — February, 1871. 2485 



pursued it and shot at it, but missed. The bird was represented to rae as 

 large and not unlike a heron, but in colour like a hare, for which they told 

 me it might easily have been mistaken when on the side of the hedge. On 

 going to the place and examining the footmarks, which wei'e very distinct 

 on the snow, 1 was immediately convinced that the bird had been a bittern. 

 — Frederick Boijes ; Beverley, East Yorkshire. 



Greeu Sundpiper at Scillj. — About a fortnight ago, when passing a 

 poulterer's shop in Clifton, I observed a greeu sandpiper hanging up 

 amongst a string of snipe, and upon making inquiry ascertained that it had 

 been shot a few days previously by a farmer, on a stream at Yatton, when 

 out snipe-shooting. The specimen was much mutilated, so I did not 

 purchase it, as I otherwise should have done, for my collection. About a 

 week afterwards, as I was passing the same shop, the man showed me 

 another bird of the same species, which he informed me had been shot by 

 the same person at the same place, and this specimen, being in good 

 condition, I purchased. I record this circumstance in order to show 

 conclusively that this species is, at all events, an occasional winter visitor to 

 this part of the country, for I observe that Mr. Cecil Smith, in his ' Birds of 

 Somersetshire,' although referring to statements by other writers in proof of 

 the occasional occurrence of the species during the winter months, treats it 

 as a summer visitor to this county. My own impression is that this bird 

 must be considered as far more of a winter than a summer visitor to any 

 part of England ; that it returns home from its breeding-haunts in the North 

 eaiiier in the season than most of the other Totani and Tringae is certainly 

 the case, frequently in the very beginning of August, when the summer is 

 still almost at its height, l)ut its breeding in this country is, I believe, 

 generally admitted to be of but very exceptional occurrence, and I do not 

 think, therefore, that it can be considered as a " summer \'isitor," strictly so 

 called. — Marcus S. C. Bickards; 2, Seymour Place, Clifton, Jan. 18, 1871. 



Purple Santlpiper^ dray Phalarope and Snow Bunting at Northani 

 Burrows. — When at Northam Burrows towards the latter end of last 

 October, I obtained a pair of purple sandpipers, out of a small flock which 

 frequented the coast for some days. I have never before observed this 

 species except upon a gravelly, sandy, or rocky shore, and was much surprised 

 on one or two occasions to come upon the flock in question, or some 

 individuals out of it, upon a salt-marsh at some little distance from the sea, 

 or upon the mud-flats adjoining. No doubt, however, they had been driven 

 from the coast, their usual haunt, by the severe south-westerly gales which 

 were then prevailing. I also observed a great number of gray phalaropes, 

 doubtless a portion of the flock recorded by Mr. Murray A. Mathew 

 (S. S. 2385), and was much interested on several occasions in watching the 

 habits of these graceful and elegant little birds, which, in nearly every 

 instance, allowed of a sufficiently near approach to enable me to observe 



SECOND SERIES — VOL. VI. I. 



