454 THE ZOOLOGIS'Y. 
procured in Wexford. It still remains an open question whether albatus 
is a good species, or, as Dr. Elliott Coues considers it (Key, N. Amer. Birds, 
p- 282), a variety distinguishable only by its. size from the larger Anser 
hyperboreus.—J. E. Harvine. 
Trex Pipir in Inrranp.—Referring to the Rey. C. W. Benson’s note 
on the occurrence of the Tree Pipit in the County Dublin (p. 348), I may 
remark that about thirteen years ago, while birdsnesting near Raheny, 
on the north side of the same county, I found at the base of a furze-bush 
a nest with eggs which were quite new to me, although I was perfectly 
familiar with the birds and nests of that county. The bird in question on 
being disturbed perched in a hawthorn about forty yards off, near enough 
for me to see a pale yellowish breast which I did not recognise, and to hear 
a loud note which I had never heard before. The eggs were much redder 
than any I had seen, and on taking them home and comparing them with 
the figure of the Tree Pipit’s egg in Laishley’s ‘ British Birds’ Eggs,’ 
I made sure that they belonged to that species. A description of the bird 
afterwards left me no doubt on the subject. I preserved the eggs as 
amongst my rarest for a long time, and I believe I have one still in a 
cabinet in Dublin.—H. Cutcuester Hart (Glenalla, Ray, Letterkenny). 
SrorreD Crake 1N Surrots.—During the second week in October, a 
Spotted Crake was killed at Leiston on a large piece of reed-land. A nest 
of this species was found at the same place in May, 1872, with the old bird 
just hatching. Since then (Sept. 18, 1873) an adult bird was shot there, 
but was too much mutilated to be worth preserving. On visiting Easton 
Broad the other day (Oct. 18) we found the surface dotted all over with 
wildfowl, by far the greater part consisting of Coots. There were besides 
several flocks of ducks (A. boschas), and a good many either Scaups or 
Pochards; but the day being very thick, we could not with certainty 
determine to which species they belonged. I have met with the Dartford 
Warbler several times lately among high furze-bushes on the heath between 
here and Iken.—G. T. Ropxr (Blaxhall, Suffolk). 
A Hen swimminc.— Apropos of the instance noticed by Mr. Kerry 
(p. 437), it may be remarked that the circumstance, although curious 
enough, is not unprecedented. The late Bishop Stanley, in his ‘ Familiar 
History of Birds,’ mentions (p. 285) a hen in the possession of a clergyman 
which so far overcame her natural fear of water as to be in the constant 
habit of making a short cut from the churchyard (into which she with the 
rest of the poultry occasionally wandered) to the barn-yard, by regularly 
swimming across a pool, which was situated between it and the churchyard. 
The distance was almost thirty yards, and the part of the pool where she 
crossed was so near the end of it that the other fowls which came round 
arrived before her.—J. E. Harrina. 
