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OCCASIONAL NOTES. 487 
anxious to procure the other specimen, followed it up for a day or two, and 
finally succeeded in shooting it; this bird is also a female. Mr. Elliot 
states that he had a good opportunity, with the aid of a telescope, of watching 
it feed, which it did in an easy and graceful manner, with rather slow and 
measured strides, and passing its head from side to side, scooping up the 
mud, and occasionally throwing up its head and swallowing what it had 
taken. It flew with the head and neck extended, which differs from 
some descriptions given. Some Grey Phalaropes and Arctic ‘Terns have 
also occurred, and early in the spring a pair of Grey-headed Wagtails, 
Motacilla flava (male and female), were procured in the neighbourhood.— 
Hunry Nicwoxus (Kingsbridge, South Devon). 
Avocrer IN CornwaLL.—On August 21st a specimen of the Avocet, 
Recurvirostra avocetta, a young male of the second year, was shot on the 
River Fal, near Truro, by Mr. Drinkwater, of that place, who has sent it to 
Mr. Gill, taxidermist, of Falmouth, for preservation. The late Edward 
Hearle Rodd, in his ‘ Birds of Cornwall and the Scilly Isles’ (p. 262), 
says :—‘ This prettily pied bird has become comparatively rare throughout 
the kingdom since the drainage of the fen lands has been perfected, by 
which not only their feeding grounds, but their natural breeding haunts, 
have been destroyed”; and on page 91 he says, “A very rare visitor to 
Cornwall.” This, I believe, makes the third instance in which the Avocet 
has been obtained in Cornwall. Notices of previous captures will be found 
in the work quoted.—Herspert P. Harr (Polbrean, The Lizard). 
Dors THE LonG-EARED Own Hoor?—Not only the Barn Owl, but 
also the Long-eared Owl, is credited with hooting, and this, too, upon 
respectable authority; as may be seen on reference to a well-known book, 
St. John’s ‘ Wild Sports and Natural History of the Highlands’ (chap. vii., 
p- 65, edit. 1847), where the author says of the Long-eared Owl :—“ His 
long ears and bright eyes give him a most unbird-like appearance as he sits 
watching one. As soon as evening comes on, this Owl issues forth in full 
life and activity, and in the woods here may be seen and heard in all 
directions, sitting on the topmost branch of some leafless tree, generally a 
larch or ash (these two being his favourites), where he hoots incessantly for 
an hour together, swelling his throat out, and making the eccentric motions 
of a pouter pigeon.” Mr. St.John, on the same page, speaks of the Tawny 
Owl, as “ hooting as vigorously at midday as at night,” and says that he has 
frequently heard this kind of Owl (the Tawny) hoot and utter another sharp 
kind of cry during the daytime, in the shady solitudes of the pine woods — 
A. G. Mors (Dublin). 
SupcuTranEeous Worms 1N ReD-BACKED SHRIKE.— Last June at 
Kissengen I shot two Red-backed Shrikes, Lanius collurio. On skinning 
one I found a great number of small worms between the skull and skin, 
