60 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
of a hundred yards, and contained only eggs at the time I discovered the 
remains of the Grouse. Mr. Cordeaux has described the persecution of 
the game-preservers, which has driven this species from his district, as 
“ senseless.” For my own part I should hardly consider a Kite a desirable 
resident in a game preserve. I can find no accurate description of the 
habits of our British Kite in any book to which I have access. The 
authors in nearly every instance copy one from the other. I know of no 
bird—not even the Roseate Tern or Goosander—that fades and loses its 
beauty to a greater extent than the Kite. The young, when it first breaks 
the shell has a long tuft of white hair on the head; this soon gives place to 
down. ‘The eyes when first opened are dark hazel. By the time the bird 
is full feathered the iris becomes a pale neutral tint or dirty lavender. 
I mention this fact as a ponderous work in my possession gives the im- 
mature bird the same coloured eyes as the adult. —E. T. Boorn (Brighton). 
Hysrip Purasant anpD Biackoock.—On the 29th October I detected, 
among other game in the Plymouth Market, a hybrid between the common 
Pheasant and Blackecock, which had been killed a few days previously, I 
believe on the borders of Dartmoor. It was a young male bird, but inferior 
in size to an ordinary cock Pheasant, and in full moult, especially about 
the head and neck. Had it been allowed to live a month longer it would 
have been in magnificent plumage. As it is, the head and greater part of 
the neck resemble those of a young Pheasant, rather light in colour, but the 
breast and lower parts of a beautiful glossy black, with violet reflections. 
The wings and upper part of the back are darker than those of an ordinary 
Pheasant, and the general markings more freckled; the lower back and 
rump clouded with violet-black, similar to that on the breast; tail in shape 
very like that of a hen Pheasant, but not so long, altogether darker and not 
so distinctly barred; under tail-coverts, rusty red. In form the bird 
resembles the Pheasant more than the Grouse, and is very like the 
Shropshire specimen figured by Eyton and Yarrell, but shows the usual 
white spot at the insertion of the wing so observable in the Black Grouse. 
There is some vaked skin about the eyes; the tarsi and toes are bare, with 
the exception of some down-like feathers just appearing in front, extending 
a little below the knee; thighs fully feathered. The contents of the 
stomach were seeds of the blackberry and wild rose, mixed with the husks 
of oats, a few insects, and a large quantity of gravel. I had the skin 
preserved and the body cooked, which proved excellent—Joun GarcomBK 
(Durnford Street, Stonehouse). 
WILDFoWL IN Wurst CuMBERLAND.—On the 14th December last I saw 
on Wastwater three small ducks, which were evidently strangers, but was 
unable to identify them by moonlight. In the course of a week they were 
all shot, and one of them was sent to me, and proved to be a Tufted Duck; 
