THE ZooLocisT—May, 1875. 4449 
upper plumage of the young blackthroated diver is never spotted, 
but wavy, closely resembling that of the young northern diver. 
However, the markings on the upper plumage of the very young 
redthroated diver do, I believe, sometimes take somewhat the form 
of stripes rather than spots, in which state it has been called the 
“ striated” or “striped” diver. 
26th. Chaffinches are in full spring song, but the fieldfares and 
others of the thrush family still keep close to the town. 
Marcu. 
2nd. Wind E.N.E. Bitterly cold, with occasional snow storms; 
notwithstanding which sky larks are continually mounting in full 
song. During the high and cold winds I have observed the tree 
creepers seeking their food among the mosses and lichens covering 
the lee-sides of old stone walls acting just as they do on trees, 
every now and then flying to the bottom and working their way 
upwards. Redwings and sky larks have not been plentiful in our 
neighbourhood, considering the severe cold—indeed J have known 
them much more so in mild weather; but fieldfares have been by 
far more numerous, and tamer, than I can remember on any previous 
occasion, and I think such has been the case generally throughout 
the country. 
3rd. A fine buzzard was brought to a Plymouth birdstuffer to- 
day. 
7th. Saw a party of Larus ridibundus which had nearly assumed 
the dark head-dress. 
9th. Lesser blackbacked gulls are now very numerous, com- 
pletely taking the place of the greater. Within the last few years 
I have remarked that the greater blackbacked gull is a winter, and 
the lesser blackbacked a spring visitor to this part of the coast. 
Wild ducks of all kinds seem to have left our coast since the 
disappearance of the first severe weather in December; not a 
specimen is to be seen in the markets. 
8th. Lapwings with partially black throats and a fine female 
heron killed, in which latter were eggs as large as hazel-nuts; very 
cold weather seems to tame them greatly. 
13th. A very pretty buff variety of the sky lark was obtained 
to-day, the quill-feathers of which were almost white, and I re- 
marked some gray wagtails which had assumed the black throat. 
14th. Razorbills very plentiful on the coast, calling to each 
