358 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
wanting, and on examination I found them cut clean off; no 
doubt in the way described by Mr. Roberts. He received thirty 
specimens of the Pomatorhine Skua for preservation, and very 
many more were shot; and although he has carried on the busi- 
ness of a taxidermist in Scarborough for the last thirty years, he 
had never before obtained a single bird of this species. 
On the 30th October, after a heavy gale from the N.E., 
Mr. Roberts was on his way to the Scarborough Museum at 
about 1 p.m., when he was startled by seeing a very large 
Eagle Owl flying quite low in one of the back streets. On 
arriving within ten yards of him, it rose with difficulty over the 
cottages and disappeared. The bird was immediately afterwards 
seen to alight in Lord Londesborough’s grounds, by Mr. Robert 
Champley. 
Of the Falconide occurring during the autumn and winter, 
the following have come under my notice:—Two Honey Buz- 
zards, obtained at Londesborough. A fine immature male Hen 
Harrier in rich plumage shot on Kilusea Warren. Peregrine 
Falcons were unusually abundant, and I am sorry to say that 
many were shot. Several Rough-legged Buzzards occurred in 
Holderness. 
The severe weather of December brought many Swans, Geese, 
and Snipe to the Humber foreshore. ‘Two Bewick’s Swans were 
obtained at Brough during the month. A flock of Shore Larks 
were observed at Kilnsea on the 19th. 
OCCASIONAL NOTES. 
Great Grey Seat in Kiriara Bay, Co. Mavo.—The finest specimen 
of the Great Grey Seal, Halicherus gryphus, known to have been obtained 
in this locality for some years past, was shot near the Bag-nets at Ennis- 
crone, Killala Bay, about the 28th or 29th June last; it was a male, and 
measured eight feet in length, five feet eight inches in girth, and weighed 
560 tbs. This Seal, with some others, had been annoying the fishermen 
all through the season by destroying the Salmon and scaring them away 
from the nets, and, though numberless shots had been fired at it, always 
escaped unharmed; but on this occasion when shot it was engaged in 
devouring a fine Salmon, which occupation probably rendered it less 
cautious and not so quick in its movements in avoiding danger. On 
receiving the ball through the hinder part of his head he sunk out of sight, 
