OCCASIONAL NOTEs. 391 
curious to see many of them clinging on tail vertically to the upright and 
bare reed-stems in what seemed a very uncomfortable sleeping position. 
We watched them for about half an hour, and left them still increasing their 
numbers. This species of Wagtail is not very common in this part of 
Ireland, and we could not help wondering at the numbers. Some of them 
must have come a long way to their roosting tryst. The Yellow, or Ray’s, 
Wagtail I have not seen here this year at all.—H. Cuicuester Harr 
(Currablagh, Croaghross, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal). 
[If we mistake not, this is a newly-observed habit of the Grey Wagtail. 
We have frequently met with large numbers of the Pied and Yellow 
Wagtails in autumn, when they were flocking preparatory to emigration ; 
but we do not remember to have heard before of the Grey Wagtail roosting 
in flocks. —Eb.] 
PurrLe Huron and Woop Sanppiper ar Scrtty.—On September 2nd 
I received from Mr. Smith, the Lord Proprietor of the Scilly Islands, a 
good specimen of the Purple Crested Heron, in its rufous immature plumage, 
in good condition. A minute description of the plumage of the bird is 
unnecessary ; but I may remark that the top of the head, instead of being 
black, is a beautiful plum-coloured purple, very like the tone of colour 
seen in plums and grapes with a powdered bloom. The other bird sent over 
to me is a very gocd specimen of the adult Wood Sandpiper. Nearly 
every specimen that I have hitherto procured of this species in the autumn 
has proved to be a bird of the year, indicated by the light tips of the feathers 
being strongly tinged with yellow. In this specimen the colour of the spots 
is pure white——Epwarp Hearne Ropp (Penzance). - 
KNoT RETAINING rts SUMMER PLumace.—On the 30th August I was 
shore-shooting on the Stirlingshire coast, and saw a Knot with part of the 
breast bright chestnut. It passed and repassed me and a friend, but we 
failed to secure it. This is the first Knot I have seen upon our coast 
retaining any part of the true red plumage until its arrival here in autumn. 
Shore-birds are this season, however, decidedly earlier in their advent. 
I have shot hundreds of Knots, many with the buff breast, but none with 
the decided brick-dust or chestnut-coloured breast.—J. A. Harviz Brown 
(Dunipace House, Larbert, N.B.) 
A FieHT BETWEEN 4 PaIR OF Kusrrets.—On the afternoon of the 17th 
August, at Keswick, near Norwich, a gentleman observed two Kestrels 
fighting and screaming in the air, and saw them drop something, presumably 
the prey they were fighting for, which, however, was not picked up. The 
birds continued their fight until they descended to the ground, and after- 
wards till they were fired at and killed at one shot by the spectator. ‘They 
proved to be male and female, the male adult and the female apparently 
adult also—J, H. Gurney (Northrepps Hall, Norwich). 
