The Zoologist — February, 1871. 2487 



birds, the rest of the plumage being entirely white and the eggs in the 

 ovaries large, varying in size, and in one of them there were five or six a? 

 large as B shot. Are these ochreous spots on the head characteristic of the 

 female? and are they lost with age? A hooper was shot at Bridlington on 

 the 6th, and one at Flamborough on the same day. The latter bird I saw 

 in the flesh : it was an adult male, but much smaller in size than the one 

 above mentioned, measuring only 4 feet 9 inches in length, but 7 feet 9 

 inches from tip to tip of wings, and weighed 15| lbs. ; its plumage is pure 

 white. This bird was shot by Thomas Leng, of Flamborough, and was 

 alone when shot, but as he had previously fired four times at a flock of 

 eight, it might have been one of them that had been wounded. The legs 

 and feet of all these birds were of a very dark chocolate-colour, certainly not 

 black, and the birds themselves were quite iat. Since the above were shot, 

 two or more flocks have been seen on our river, and one bird shot. I also 

 hear of many flocks having been seen on the coast ; one of these flocks con- 

 sisting of no less than forty-two individuals. One or more flocks have been 

 observed on the Humber, and I am informed that one flock passed quite 

 near the pier at Hull. That all these birds are hoopers I will not venture 

 to say, but it is a long time since swans have visited us in such numbers as 

 have lately been observed on the Yorkshire coast. — Frederick Boyes ; 

 January 14, 1871. 



Hoopers at Dull. — On Sunday, the 8th instant, T saw a flock of hoopers 

 pass over here, forty-two in number ; they passed within one hundred yards 

 of where I was standing, and came direct from the sea, taking a westerly 

 course. I have also seen during the last fortnight flocks numbering three, 

 twelve, eight and eleven respectively; the last-mentioned lot I saw this 

 morning. I have had a male bird of this species sent to me, which was 

 shot at Flamborough by Thomas Leng on the 6th instant. I have also seen 

 one which was shot near Bridlington, and have heard of others being 

 captured in this locality. — Thomas Boynton ; Ulrome Grange, Lowthorpe, 

 Hull, January 18, 1871. 



Wild Swan in Lcadenliall Market.^Yesterday, passing through the 

 market, I saw a hooper, an immature bird, which the salesman told me he 

 had received from Lincolnshire. I also noticed a goosander and several 

 shieldrakes. — A. H. Sinee; January 12, 1871. 



Smew on the Waudlc. — Our gai-dener shot, on the morning of the 2nd 

 of January, a female smew, which was swimming almost in the mill-head at 

 WaUingtou Bridge, Carshalton. — Id. 



Smews in East Yorkshire. — On the 6th instant, whilst up the river on 

 the look out for wild-fowl, I had the good fortune to shoot a fine old female 

 smew (Mergits alhelhis). Its stomach contaiued three or four water-beetles 

 and in the gizzard was a quantity of coarse flinty gravel. The bird was 

 alone when shot. Two males had previously been seen on the river, and 



