182 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
rearing but one brood in a year, is a fact apparent even to casual observers, 
yet there is no diminution of Larks. I find numerous Larks’ nests every 
year in the pastures where I see Starlings busily employed all day long 
searching for food for their young, yet I very seldom find these nests 
plundered. Rooks, with which Starlings frequently associate in their 
foraging excursions, I verily believe are not altogether guiltless in this 
matter. I suspect they destroy both nests and young birds.—E. P. P. 
BurreRFIELD (Wilsden). 
GoosaNDER AND LittLE GREBE IN CUMBERLAND.—On December 21st 
I received two Goosanders, male and female, in splendid condition, which 
had been shot on the River Derwent on the 20th by one of Sir Wilfrid 
Lawson’s keepers. A pair was seen upon the River Cocker the same day ; 
the female was shot by Mr. Robert Mitchell, station-master at Cockermouth. 
I had a Little Grebe, shot out of four or five upon Bassenthwaite Lake. 
I hear of very few rare birds having been shot near here. — GEORGE 
Mawson (Moorside, Cockermouth). 
Ferrvucinous Duck 1n DorsEtsuirE.—A specimen of this duck, 
Nyroca ferruginea (Gmelin), was shot on the Wareham River in January 
last. So far as am aware, this is the first instance in which it has been met 
with in Dorsetshire—J. C. Mansex-PLeyvpeLt (Whatcombe, Blandford). 
WRENS ROOSTING IN vacaNT Nests or Hovusk Martins.—In con- 
nection with Mr. Tomlinson’s observations on a roosting habit of the Wren 
(p. 185), it may be worth while to mention that during a period of excessive 
cold I have noticed Wrens coming in numbers, night after night, to roost 
together in the vacant nests of the House Martin.—T. R. Arcuer Briecs 
(Richmond Villa, Plymouth). 
Winter Visirants at Harwicu.—During the months of October and 
November last large flocks of Snow Buntings frequented the Dovercourt 
and Walton shores, and many of them were shot. On the 3rd December 
a Little Auk was picked up alive on the deck of one of the Great Eastern 
Railway Company's steamers whilst lying alongside the pier. An immature 
specimen of the Little Gull was shot on the Dovercourt beach on January 
10th, and a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker at Ramsey on the 2nd February. 
The Woodpecker is very rare here.—F’, Kerry (Harwich.) 
Rare Brrpds in THE IstE or Wicut.—In the January number of 
‘The Zoologist’ (p. 32), the Editor quotes Mr. A. G. More’s statement in 
Venables’s ‘Guide to the Isle of Wight,’ to show that the Honey Buzzard 
has been procured in the Island. It would have been more satisfactory 
had Mr. More stated when, where, and by whom it was shot. The Honey 
Buzzard is set down in his list as an occasional visitant! and the White- 
