NOTES FROM DEVON AND CORNWALL. 53 
A beautiful variety of the Common Linnet came under my notice 
this month. It was evidently an adult male, as some of the crimson 
feathers were still visible on the breast; but the greater part of its 
plumage was pure white, with only a few of the usual brown feathers 
on the wings and back. 
Wild Geese made their appearance unusually early on some of 
the Cornish moors. On October 29th two Cravat or Canada Geese 
were seen swimming for some time in Plymouth Sound, but after 
awhile flew off seaward. The same day I observed the first Great 
Northern Diver of the season, and the next day two of these fine 
birds were killed. 1 had been much interested in watching one of 
them having a rather hard struggle with a Bullhead or “ Father- 
lasher,” Cottus scorpius, which it ultimately managed to swallow. 
Lhave often observed that both Cormorants and Divers have much 
trouble in managing this formidable little fish. Northern Divers 
have made their appearance early this season, as they seldom visit 
the Sound before November. 
A young Gannet, in its beautiful spotted plumage, was brought 
in by some fishermen, who said that it allowed them to take it up 
from the water without resistance; so I suppose it must by some 
means have become exhausted, as there was no wound to be found 
on any part ofits body. Gannets are said to be sometimes so gorged 
with fish as to be unable to rise from the water for a time, but such 
was certainly not the case in the present instance. I have often 
thought it strange that birds in the spotted plumage are so seldom 
met with, at least on this part of the coast. Old ones, on the 
contrary, are frequently obtained. 
Two Common Buzzards, some Short-eared Owls, and a female 
Peregrine were captured in October near Plymouth, the last-named 
in Newnham Park. Shags were particularly plentiful on the coast; 
but, strange to say, 1 neither saw nor heard of a Tern or Phalarope. 
Kingfishers were rather numerous in our bays and estuaries, and 
many, I am sorry to say, were killed. 
After some severe gales, on November Ist, I visited the neigh- 
bourhood of Bovisand and the Reannies Rocks, upon which latter 
were a large number of Cormorants and Shags, and immense flocks 
of Starlings and Rock Pipits, feeding amongst the numerous heaps 
of decaying seaweed collected on the shore for the purpose of 
dressing the land. It was quite surprising to see the “clouds” 
of Dunlins and Ring Dotterels resting on the Breakwater during 
