THE ZooLtocist—Aveust, 1875, 4569 
When returning through a quiet lane near the coast, a turtle dove 
rose quite close to me, apparently only just arrived, and from its 
languid flight seemed much exhausted: this species is very seldom 
met with in the vicinity of Plymouth. A nightjar was heard during 
the evening. 5 
21st. Some gannets were seen in the Sound, off the Hoe, and 
swifts have become very plentiful. 
27th. Examined the contents of the stomachs of two redbacked 
shrikes and a nightjar, which seemed to consist of nothing but the 
remains of the common dung beetle. 
30th. Again visited the breeding place of the herring gulls at 
Wembury, and found that almost all the nests into which I could 
look with my glass contained eggs. Some of the birds sat very 
close, but others would fly off on being disturbed by a shout, when 
the eggs could be easily seen. I was quite astonished at the care- 
lessness—or I may say stupidity—displayed by some of these birds 
in selecting such exposed situations for their nests. In one instance 
I had only to walk to the edge of the cliff, stoop down, and—had 
I been so minded—pick up an egg from one nest;+ and just a few 
feet below was another containing three eggs, which any child 
might have got at: I would not have touched them on any con- 
sideration, but at the same time felt quite sure that they would be . 
taken before my next visit. The peregrine was there again to-day, 
and I think has a nest in a fissure of the rock quite in the midst of 
the sitting gulls: this I Delve from the anxiety it seemed to show, 
flying round one particular spot, and making a great noise until we 
left. Many martins nest on the face of these cliffs. Nightjars 
appear to be rather plentiful this spring, for I am sorry to say 
many have already been brought to our birdstuffers, and some eggs 
found. 
JoHN GATCOMBE. 
8, Lower Durnford Street, Stonehouse, Plymouth. 
Some Account of the gigantic Squid (Architeuthis Dux) Jately 
captured off Boffin Island, Connemara. By A. G. More, 
» F.LS., M.R.LA., Assistant-Naturalist in the Museum of the 
Royal Dublin Society. 
TuHE history lately given in a newspaper, the ‘Galway Express,’ 
—which has also been published in the ‘Zoologist’ for June (S. S, 
