OCCASIONAL NOTES. 69 
feet. One of these birds was shot in a reed-bed near this spot about 
twenty years ago.—G. T. Rope (Blaxhall, Suffolk). 
Suorr Brraps 1n Easr- anp Mrv-Lorsran.— During the month of 
October the Firth of Forth was visited by large numbers of the Pomatorhine 
Skua. The flocks, indeed, in some cases, seem to have quite equalled in 
numbers those reported to have been seen off Redcar and other parts of the 
English coast. On the 25th I saw many specimens in the neighbourhood 
of North Berwick, and was fortunate enough to shoot two. Neither of my 
birds had the long tail-feathers. I have since seen others of these birds 
procured at Musselburgh and at Queensferry. Buffon’s Skua also appeared 
in small numbers. A specimen was shot on October 20th near Drum, East 
Lothian, and a few days later another was picked up in a dying state on the 
shore between Portobello and Leith. Towards the end of October a Great 
Shearwater, Pufjinus major, was shot by a fisherman near North Berwick. 
This bird was lately exhibited at a meeting of the Royal Physical Society of 
Edinburgh. I have also seen a Fulmar Petrel which was shot at Porto- 
bello on November 27th, and a Sclavonian Grebe lately procured near 
Prestonpans.— C. CuamBers (339, High Street, Edinburgh). 
Rare Brros at Harwice.—On the 10th, 12th and 22ud November 
three Richardson’s Skuas were shot, one mature and two immature, and 
another mature bird was seen. On December 8rd three White-fronted 
Geese were seen, and two shot—a fine old gander and an immature bird. 
On the 5th a Hen Harrier was shot: it had just struck down a Black- 
headed Gull that was teasing it, killing it dead. The Harrier did not 
attempt to follow the Gull to the ground, and it was picked up by a man 
who then shot the Harrier. Three more were seen. On the 8th a Whooper 
was shot in the harbour. A good many Swans have been seen here this 
severe weather.— EF’. Kerry (Harwich). 
BirDs AND THE WeratHieR —The severe weather and excessive frosts 
which ushered in winter in the West of England have borne out a fact with 
reference to bird-life which may be worth recording, and that is, that no 
visitation of exceptionally hard weather is altogether uniform in its effects 
upon the feathered race. Snow has been present in more or less quantities 
in most parts of the kingdom, while it has been absent in West Somerset ; 
and it is owing to this that, while we have had many birds among us in 
unusual numbers, such as Snipe and Woodcock, which have been driven 
from the snow-covered districts, we have been without those large flocks of 
Fieldfares and migrating Wood Pigeons which last year accompanied the 
heavy falls of snow. A peculiarity of the present winter with us is the 
almost total absence of the Fieldfare. Up to the present time I have only 
noticed three, and amongst the bunches of birds exposed for sale I have 
not detected one. ‘Vhe hard weather has sent a few Merlins into this district. 
