NOTES FROM DEVON AND CORNWALL. 419 
bigger than grains of No. 6 shot. It was very fat, and the stomach 
crammed with fish-bones, mixed with many small stones. I believe 
the breeding plumage of the females of our three species of Diver 
to be equal in brilliancy to that of the males, although perhaps 
the white spots may not be quite so large, and the same might be 
said of the Shag and Cormorant. On the 21st I received a further 
communication from Mr, Clogg; stating that two days before he 
had observed a pair of Black-throated Divers close by the shore, 
one of which appeared to be in perfect summer dress, adding that 
for many years before he had not seen a specimen of that species 
in any state of plumage. 
A Ringed Guillemot was obtained during the month in the 
Sound, and an Iceland Gull made its appearance in our harbour, 
after a heavy gale from the north on May 14th, the latest date 
I ever remember to have noticed this bird on our part of the 
coast. 
On June 7th some Puffins were brought in by the fishermen, 
and a friend told me that he had seen some lying dead on the 
shore at New Quay, on the north coast of Cornwall. On the 11th 
I visited the breeding-place of the Herring Gulls at Wembury, 
near Plymouth ; but, although I observed several nests containing 
either eggs or young birds, not half the number of old ones 
were to be seen in comparison with former years. I have also 
remarked a great falling off in the numbers of both the Greater 
and Lesser Black-backed Gulls which annually visit our coasts 
inthe spring. Can this be owing to the late unusually severe 
winter? I am sorry to say that robbing Gulls’ nests is carried 
on to a great extent, where practicable, in Devon and Cornwall. 
Only a few weeks since a fine young man lost his life in trying to 
get at some young Gulls near the Land’s End. 
Swallows are very scanty with us this season, but of Swifts 
and Martins I think we have had about the average number. 
I may here mention an interesting anecdote concerning the 
Swallow related to me by some yachting friends, Mr. and Mrs. 
Cummins, residing at Stonehouse. On June 6th, when crossing 
the channel on their way to Jersey in the yacht ‘ Electra,’ four or 
five Swallows flew on board, two of which, after having rested on 
deck for some time, came into the cabin, one of them actually 
alighting on the edge of a book Mrs. Cummins was reading, and 
there quietly sat looking up into her face with the utmost 
