282 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
previously. This young bird, being almost black from decom- 
position, had much the appearance of a young Cormorant, but the 
“ grizzly” crest peculiar to nestling Herons was very conspicuous. 
Its legs seemed somewhat thick and swollen or puffed up, especially 
about the knees. On coming down the river, towards high water, 
1 remarked large flocks of Curlews resting in the fields awaiting 
the ebb, and numbers of Dunlins with fine black breasts along the 
shore, some of which, remaining on low rocks until the flowing tide 
had completely covered their legs, appeared as if actually floating 
on its surface. 
About the middle of May several Sanderlings, in partial 
breeding plumage, one Lesser and two Greater Spotted Wood- 
peckers, which had been obtained in the neighbourhood, were 
sent for preservation to a Plymouth birdstuffer. Whimbrels and 
other waders about the same time were constantly passing over 
the town at night, making a great noise. 
Many more Herring Gulls were sitting at Wembury on May 17th, 
and J remarked a large female Peregrine flying round the cliffs. 
Two fine adult Cormorants examined by me about this time had 
already lost almost all traces of the early spring plumage, which is 
usually the case at this time of the year, the head, neck, and whole 
under parts being of a fine blue-black, without a sign of the slender 
white filamentous plumelets on the neck or oval spot above the 
thigh; the white patch under the chin and crest on the nape still 
remained, but it seems strange that the so-called summer plumage 
should so soon begin to disappear. 
Again visited Wembury on May 23rd, and found many more 
eggs in the nests, but as yet no young. However, | am sorry to 
add that these nests, where at all accessible, are almost daily 
robbed by boys. Whilst looking down with my glass upon a small 
projecting ledge at the extreme edge of a fearful precipice on which 
was a gull’s nest containing a single egg, to my great surprise and 
horror, a lad crept suddenly round on his hands and knees, and 
after securing the egg, not having room to stand or turn, was 
actually obliged to sit bolt upright in the nest, with his back 
against the cliff and his legs dangling over a perpendicular preci- 
pice one hundred feet above the sea! Catching sight of me, as 
I supposed, he at once became motionless, but apparently quite 
composed, with his arms crossed on his breast and his face turned 
upwards, as if intently watching the sky, and so he remained until 
