206 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
On January 13th I remarked a pair of Sclavonian Grebes in 
Fire-stone Bay, and both heard and saw a Greenshank flying up 
the Tamar—a very uncommon bird with us in winter, although 
a few generally visit our mud-flats during the autumn. Several 
adult Gannets were brought in by the Plymouth fishermen. They 
were captured either with baited hooks or by becoming entangled 
in the herring-nets off the port, where I understand they were 
very plentiful. A short time since an old male Black Redstart 
was killed by a friend of mine on the rocks near the Plymouth 
Citadel, and a Velvet Scoter in the Sound. 
“ Speckled,” or immature, Red-throated Divers became more 
plentiful after the cold weather had set in, and several were shot. 
Two ‘‘ Cravat” or Canada Geese were also killed not far from 
Plymouth—one of them, strange to say, from a flock of ten, which 
number subsequently dwindled down to six; but I cannot help 
thinking that they were probably frozen-out birds from some 
ornamental water, although neither of the two killed showed the 
slightest traces of confinement. Wild Geese of several kinds 
were, I understand, also seen in the same locality. 
The pair of Sclavonian Grebes mentioned above were sub- 
sequently shot and brought to a birdstuffer, who allowed me 
to examine their stomachs, which were like balls, completely 
crammed with the remains of small silvery fish, shrimps, and, 
I believe, sandhoppers, mixed up with an immense quantity of 
down, shafts, barbs, fibres, and many whole feathers from their 
own bodies. I have often been struck with a habit the Grebes— 
particularly the Crested species—have, when on the water, of 
suddenly erecting and shaking the plumage of the back, just in the 
manner of a bird after having charged its plumage with dust. 
Great Black-backed Gulls, about this date, became numerous, 
but, notwithstanding the extremely severe weather, I did not 
observe a single Glaucous or Iceland Gull the whole winter. 
Many authors, when describing the colour of the bill of the 
Great Black-backed Gull, say that the projecting angle of the 
lower mandible is red, or orange, with a black spot in the middle. 
This black spot, however, is not always present, especially in the 
breeding season, nor even does it appear on the bills of perfectly 
adult birds in winter, and is more or less a sign of youth, 
according to its extent. On examining a fine adult Great Black- 
backed Gull in January I found that the spot on the angle of the 
