The Zoologist — October, 1871. 2783 



White Varieties of the Pied Wagtail. — I have lately seen two 

 white varieties of this species, young birds belonging to separate 

 broods, the remainder of the family having the normal colouring. In 

 both cases the birds were a pale buff, or light cream-colour, with 

 the primaries and tail-feathers about two shades darker. 



Common Sandpiper. — July 1.5l,h. Are again appearing in our 

 marshes, where I have not seen any since May. 



Lesser Blackbacked Gull. — July 20lh. Mature full-plumaged 

 birds, as well as the young of the year, are now plentiful in the 

 river: they are very numerous about the mouth of the Huraber. 

 August 10th. This morning very early, before sunrise, I was lying 

 partly concealed amongst the rough sea-grass on the coast near 

 Spurn, waiting the passage of some waders, when a large flock of 

 gulls passed directly over me ; they were all lesser blackbacks, and 

 seventy or eighty in number; they flew exactly like wild geese, in 

 a figure of seven. My No. 5 rattled on their stiff primaries, but 

 failed to induce a nearer acquaintance. 



Whimhrel. — July 2 1st. This afternoon, when fishing some miles 

 out at sea off the Yorkshire coast, near Spurn, several whimhrel 

 passed over the yacht, flying towards the Yorkshire and Lincoln- 

 shire coasts. They are the first I have seen on their southern 

 course. 



Dunlin and Ringed Plover. — August 6th. I see there are some 

 very large mixed flocks of these two species in the marshes. These 

 are principally composed of young birds. 



Golden Plover. — August 6th. Saw three this morning in 

 company with peewit on some fallow land: they were still in the 

 full plumage of summer. 



Gray Plover and Knot. — Observed a k'^ gray plover on the 

 Spurn mussel banks on the 9th, also some knot; considerable 

 flocks of the latter had arrived on the Lincolnshire coast by the 

 middle of the month. 



Sandivich, Common, Arctic and Lesser Terns in the Huniber. — 

 There have been large numbers of various terns at Spurn during 

 the month. I have seen the " binks," which are uncovered at low 

 water, to the south-east of the Point look quite white with the 

 accumulated hundreds which find a temporary resting-place there. 

 Besides the terns were many hundreds of "blackbacks" and 

 brownheaded gulls. These gravel banks are some distance from 

 the coast, and there is deep water between, so that the various birds 



