OCGASIONAL NOTES. 131 
more or less an immigration southward and westward of birds in search of 
food and shelter—a movement, of course, entirely independent of the great 
autumnal migratorial movement.—Epwarp Hearxe Ropp (Penzance). 
Rare Birvs 1s Norrmncuamsutre.—A female King Duck was shot in 
November, 1877, on the Derwent, by Mr. J. H. Towle, of Draycott Hall. 
Mr. Harting, in his ‘ Handbook of British Birds,’ only mentions its occur- 
rence on fifteen previous occasions. The Spotted Crake has been very 
plentiful about the Nottingham meadows, where it nested last summer. 
One birdstuffer had fourteen and another nine of these birds, some of them 
quite young, sent to them for preservation. In J uly last I saw a Common 
Buzzard flying over my house. This bird is now very seldom seen in this 
district. A pair of Shoveller Ducks frequented the lake here all last 
summer, but no young ones were seen, though the place was kept very 
quiet. We had a dozen or more pairs of ‘Tufted Ducks nesting round here 
last year, and have shot a goodly number during the present winter. Four 
or five pairs of Snipe also nested here. -Two Little Auks were killed at 
Wollaton, near Nottingham, in November last, after several days of stormy 
weather. During the same month a Storm Petrel was killed near Notting- 
ham. A specimen of Leach’s Petrel was shot between Lenton and the 
Trent, towards the end of November last, by Mr. Moult, of Old Radford. 
So far as I am aware, this is the second instance of its occurrence in 
this county, the first being in 1840.—J. WHITAKER (Rainworth Lodge, 
Mansfield). 
Nores rrom Dusrix.—The recent severe frosts have proved fatal to 
immense numbers of birds, but Blackbirds, Thrushes and Starlings seem 
to have suffered most. During the eight weeks from the end of November 
to the middle of January my Sunday duty took me through a considerable 
portion of the Dublin Mountains, and I had opportunities of noticing the 
effects of the very severe weather upon most of our common birds. The 
country in November seemed to be full of Fieldfares, but they nearly all 
disappeared after the first fortnight of frost, seeking, no doubt, warmer 
quarters farther south. Missel Thrushes also vanished. The Redwings 
were found in the immediate outskirts of the city; whilst flocks of Yellow 
Buntings, Greenfinches, and even a few pairs of Bullfinches were to be met 
with in the suburban gardens. Rooks on several occasions were found 
preying on Starlings. I thought at first that these had died from the cold, 
but I am assured that in some cases they were killed before they were eaten 
by their half-famished neighbours. Of the Paride, Blue Tits alone were 
common. A few flocks of wild geese and one flock of wild swans were seen 
and heard passing in the neighbourhood; but the absence of birds in the 
mountains, save round each farmstead, was very remarkable.—CHARLES W. 
Benson (Rathmines School). 
