OCCASIONAL NOTES. 109 
obtained at Chicksands Priory, by one of Sir George Osborn’s keepers. 
A Great Crested Grebe was killed at Landy, on January 9th, by Mr. James 
Dillemore, as I am informed by Mr. Wright, the taxidermist, of Clifton. 
Curiously enough, with the exception of the birds above mentioned, this 
winter, as regards Bedfordshire, has been singularly unproductive in 
ornithological rarities—C. Marrnrew Prior (The Avenue, Bedford). 
OrnitHoLoGicaL Notes From West CumMBERLAND.—An adult male 
Pomatorhine Skua was shot on October 16th, by some fishermen about ten 
miles off Whitehaven Harbour; it had a mate, which escaped. A single 
Bernicle Goose was seen flying about the mouth of the River Irt from the 
20th October to the 3rd November, and seemed very tame A flock of 
nine appeared on December 5th, near Seascale, flying towards the Irt. Two 
of them were were shot near Braystones, and sixteen were seen at Drigg 
soon after. Several Goldeneyes have frequented this winter; one, a female, 
was shot on the 14th November. I notice that these birds are always seen 
at the same spot, where the river is still and narrow. ‘The other ducks 
stay lower down, where it has widened into a small estuary. In the same 
bend an immature “ Calloo,” or Long-tailed Duck, was shot on the 22nd 
November, and sent to me; there were three more in company with it. 
A Scoter was shot on December 20th on the shore opposite Seascale 
Station; it sat stupidly on the water, about forty yards from the beach, 
and was deliberately “potted;” it was gorged with mussels and razor- 
shells, some of the latter being three inches long. At least one pair of 
Sheldrakes have wintered with us, which is unusual. During the second 
week of December three Swans were seen in several parts of this district, 
sometimes at the mouth of the river, and sometimes inland near the 
mountains. Iam glad to say they were not fired at. On two occasions they 
were flying very near the ground.—C, A. Parxer (Gosforth, Carnforth). 
’ 
ORNITHOLOGICAL NoTEs FROM THE IsLE or Wicut —Last summer a 
pair of Wagtails built a nest beueath the iron rail at St. John’s Station, 
Ryde, and the young birds were reared, undisturbed by the constantly passing 
trains ; and I am told by a railway official that a pair of Wagtails, some years 
since, constructed their nest in a similar manner at the same spot. The Land- 
rail was unusually abundant last summer in the Isle of Wight. In October 
a Great Snipe was shot at Atherfield, by Mr. T. Way ; it is of rare occurrence 
in the island. A Brent Goose was shot on December 11th, at Luccombe; 
it rose from amouvg the rocks on the shore, and on being fired at and 
wounded, settled on the water, where it was eventually secured. It proved 
to be a bird of the season, the patch on the neck obscure, there being little 
white about it. Owing to a malformation of the beak, the upper mandible 
was about half the length of the lower, but broader, well rounded, and 
decurved at the tip. The lower mandible and tongue partly exposed; this 
