4666 Tue ZooLocist—OcrToBeEr, 1875. 
were males, in very plump condition, and exceedingly fat. I have just 
heard of a fourth from the same neighbourhood.—T7. FE. Gunn. 
Spotted Redshank in Norfolk.—A fine adult male of the spotted red- 
shank, in full summer dress, was killed at Yarmouth on May 14th, 1875. 
It measured in total length thirteen inches, and twenty-one inches and a 
half in extent of wings to extreme tip of each; wing from carpal joint to 
tip, six inches and five-eighths; bill two inches and one-eighth; irides dark 
brown, nearly black; bill black, deep red at base of lower mandible; legs, 
toes and claws dusky black. The legs and toes of immature birds in 
autumn and of adult birds in winter are of a reddish orange colour. On 
the 16th of August last I received a dusky specimen (immature) killed near 
Stalham: this on dissection proved to be a male. In referring to my note- 
book for 1872 I find the measurements above quoted very nearly correspond 
with the dimensions of a male killed on the 8th of November in that year, 
and which also passed into my hands. The weight of this latter bird, being 
in good condition at the time, was six ounces.—T7. EF. Gunn. 
Descent of the young Guillemot from its Clif{_—At p. 4342 Mr. Boyes 
moots the question of the method which the guillemot employs to convey 
its young from the lofty cliffs where it has been hatched to the water. 
The woodcock’s mode of moving its young was for a long time an open 
point, but that is now settled; but I believe the above is an interesting 
and perplexing question to many people. When I was at Flamborough 
I made particular inquiries on this questio vewata, and Mr. T. Mackin, a 
birdstuffer, told me that he had sometimes been on the rocks at the base of 
the cliffs, and had actually seen and shot parent guillemots with nestlings 
in their beaks, and he showed me two of the nestlings which he had 
obtained. However, to give both sides of the argument, I must mention 
that Mr. Bailey and a man named Lumley, who is a crag-climber of thirty 
years’ experience, assured me that they had also witnessed the descent, and 
it was not performed in that way, but that the young were always carried on 
the back. Both statements are probably true; but if, as your correspondent 
says, they come down almost perpendicularly, the former would seem the 
easier. It not unfrequently happens that they are knocked off the cliffs, 
when, if the tide happens to be out, the infant guillemots come to an 
untimely end; and I dare say also that, when it is high, scores drop into 
the water; others, again, may wait until their pinions develope a little. As 
soon as the old ones get them down to the water they, to use the fishermen’s 
expression, “squeal out.” ‘The authorities of Flamborough tell me the 
descent takes place about the latter part of July.—J. H. Gurney, jun. ; 
Northrepps Hall. 
Herring Gulls carrying off wounded Dunlins,—I do not fancy that the 
circumstance of a large gull carrying off wounded dunlins (Zool. 8. 8. 8828) 
is very unusual. Such a thing has occurred to me when I have been out 
Be on ee ett yitee i ow 
