158 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
During the month of October last we had an immense number 
of wild geese in this neighbourhood, more than have been known 
for a very long time. I think they were attracted by the quantity 
of food, for in consequence of the Jong continuance of wet weather 
many of the wold farmers were unable to gather the rakings of the 
stubble, and these formed an abundance of food for the wild geese, 
which at early dawn arrived in hundreds. On the 15th of that 
month a very fine female Rongh-legged Buzzard was shot at 
Holderness. On the 2Ist another was shot: it had been seen in 
company with the one killed on the 15th: this bird unluckily fell 
into the Humber, and the tide going out it was lost. On the 18th 
November a third was killed at Hull. 
A Shore Lark was shot at Spurn on October 21st, and an im- 
mature male Longtailed Duck on November 8th. On the 22nd of 
that month another Longtailed Duck was shot, a female, and on 
December 8th a third. These were obtained on the same piece 
of water where I had seen a small flock on September 29th. 
On the 22nd November a fine male Osprey was brought for my 
inspection by Mr. D. Burton, of Cherry Burton, a village three 
miles west of Beverley: it had been shot the previous day by one 
of that gentleman’s keepers just in front of the Hall. I may say 
that it was a most unlikely place for such a bird, as there is no 
water in the immediate neighbourhood. Probably it was passing 
over on its southward journey, or it may have got lost during the 
thick weather which prevailed about that time. Why it did not 
soar high enough to keep out of gunshot I cannot tell. I dissected 
it, and found it in very good condition, although not fat. The 
stomach was empty, except a piece of stick and some dead grass— 
foreign substances, swallowed, no doubt accidentally, with its 
natural food. This is the bird mentioned by Mr. Cordeaux as shot 
on the 23rd November, which is the wrong date, as I had word 
sent to me by the keeper the very day of its capture, and the bird 
was in my hands the following morning. 
During the last week of November large flocks of Wood Pigeons 
(Ring Doves) passed over the town of Beverley, the wind at the 
time being westerly. These birds may generally be seen flying 
over this district during strong westerly gales, and invariably fly 
against the wind. 
An old male Rednecked Grebe shot on our river on December 
5th still retained some of the red on the throat. 
