4636 THE ZooLocist—OcTOoBER, 1875. 
hundred pairs of breeding gulls, I have almost invariably remarked, 
a few individuals in immature plumage mated with those in full 
nuptial dress. There are a great number of rabbits breeding in 
the cliffs at Wembury ; and Mr. Thompson, describing the nesting 
habits of the gulls on the coast of Ireland, says that they now 
and then treat themselves to a young one in that locality. The 
peregrine falcon was not to be seen at Wembury to-day. 
June 18th. Garden warblers were very plentiful in Bickleigh 
Vale this morning; indeed more so than | have known them to be 
for several years. 
June 19th. Again visited Wembury, and found the young gulls 
much grown, and many more out. Young jackdaws were just able 
to fly, and were perched about in all directions. Martins, too, 
nest in large numbers on the face of the cliff. As I did not see 
the peregrine again to-day, I much fear it has either been killed or 
has altogether left the neighbourhood. 
July 1st. A pair of old and some young redbacked shrikes were 
brought to one of the Plymouth birdstuffers to-day, and the man 
who killed them mentioned having found a small bird transfixed by 
a thorn on one of the bushes off which he shot them: this (to him) 
extraordinary circumstance he could by no means account for until 
we explained to him the peculiar habits of the shrikes, which 
seemed to astonish and interest him greatly. 
On the 21st of July I observed some whimbrels, and heard others 
a few days previously. Small families of the common sandpiper, 
too, have now arrived on the coast from their breeding-places on 
our moors. 
August Ist. Gull shooting has, I am sorry to say, commenced in 
Plymouth Sound, which, together with the harbour, is full of young 
birds. Cormorants have lately visited our estuaries and tidal rivers 
in small parties, and a few days since I remarked a flock of eleven 
flying just like a string of wild geese. A young shag was brought 
to one of our birdstuffers a few days since. 
August 27th. Observed many flocks of Ray’s wagtail already in 
our meadows, feeding among the cows. Swifts left us about the 
middle of the month: these birds and the house martins have been 
far more plentiful than the common swallow in the neighbourhood 
of Plymouth. 
JOHN GATCOMBE. 
8, Lower Durnford Street, Stonehouse, Plymouth. 
Seb hing 
