OCCASIONAL NOTES. 59 
in stating that in North Oxfordshire, at least, the day of their extirpation is 
far distant. In a single walk I have often seen as many as ten, and sometimes 
many more. In the winter they associate in flocks of from five to thirty-four ; 
I never saw more together than the latter number at one time. There is very 
little game preserving here, owing to the want of arable land, and therefore 
Magpies have ample inducement to remain.—C. Matrurw Prior. 
Mieration or Birps ar HerticoLanp.—With reference to the notes 
from Heligoland included in my paper in the January number of ‘ The 
Zoologist,’ Mr. Gatke has subsequently informed me that the Phylloscopus 
included with a query (Oct. 24th) was seen by him at close quarters in his 
garden, and that beyond a doubt it was Phylloscopus fuscatus, a species 
which has occurred before in Heligoland. On November 4th Mr. Gatke saw 
another rare visitor, but not having a gun at hand was unable to procure it ; 
this was Parus Kamschatkensis, with the back entirely of a light bluish ashy 
gray colour—the very image, as he says, of Mr. Dresser’s figure in ‘ The 
Birds of Europe.’ There is a typographical error in my paper, p. 10, twenty- 
ninth line, under the head of Great Gray Shrike—for “‘ Mr. Boyes mentions 
ten” read “ Mr. Boyes mentions two” of these birds.—Joun Corpraux. 
Foop or THE DartrorD WarBLER.—Apropos of Mr. Tyacke’s note on 
the Dartford Warbler (p. 23), I may remark that this bird generally feeds 
its young on the body of a large yellow moth. I have observed several pairs 
carrying a light substance in their mouths to the nest, and on shooting one 
bird from each of two nests, I discovered that the food was the same in both 
eases. The wings of the moth were removed, and I was not entomologist 
enough to name the species, but I observed that the birds hunted for their 
prey among the lower part of the stems of the furze. During the summer 
Dartford Warblers may generally be found in most of the large patches of 
furze that are scattered over the South Downs, although, being remarkably 
shy, they are liable to escape observation, for on the slightest sign of danger 
they immediately seek the shelter of the bushes. In the winter they seem 
to be of a roving disposition. I have met with them several times amongst 
the stunted thorn-bushes and straggling furze on the beach between East- 
bourne and Pevensey, and, when rabbit-shooting further inland, I have seen 
them occasionally driven out by the beagles from cover, where no one would 
ever expect to find them.—E. T. Boors (Dyke Road, Brighton). 
Move or ProGression or THE Purrin.—Your correspondent, the Rev. 
Julian G. Tuck, says (2nd ser. 4958) he should be glad to know if any readers 
of ‘The Zoologist’ have observed the power of the Puffin not only to stand 
erect on its feet, but also to walk on the rock with apparent ease. I have 
observed this many times when lying on the top of the cliffs at Flam- 
borough ; and indeed it must of necessity be so, otherwise how could these 
birds reach the holes in which they breed? They alight on the ledges, 
perhaps a yard or more from the entrance of the cleft in the rock in which 
