THE ZooLocist—FEBRvUARY, 1876. 4785 
16th. This morning I was much interested in watching the 
actions ofan eared grebe. On the eve of diving it would invariably 
sink its body a little, and go down with a sudden dart forwards. 
The true divers also sink their bodies a little before they disappear. 
Two bitterns have been brought to Mr. Peacock for preservation, 
one of which was killed near Bodmin. Great blackbacked gulls 
are now beginning to make their appearance, which they generally 
do just before Christmas. 
19th. There were three northern divers off Firestone Bay this 
morning, two of which would turn almost completely over on their 
backs, with one leg in the air, during the act of preening the 
feathers of the breast; they had also a singular habit, whilst 
swimming, of thrusting out one leg from behind, which they waved 
high above water, like a fan. Several immature smews and 
goosanders have been obtained lately near Plymouth, likewise one 
longeared and several shorteared owls. 
JOHN GATCOMBE. 
8, Lower Durnford Street, Stonehouse, 
Plymouth. 
Notes on the Occurrence of Rare Birds in Norfolk and Suffolk. 
By Mr. T. E. Gunn. 
Osprey.—A fine male specimen, in the second year’s plumage, 
was shot on the 28th of October, at Redgrave, in Suffolk: it had 
been observed for several days previously fishing in the river. On 
dissection I found the stomach empty, the bird being very fat. 
Peregrine Falcon.—An immature female of this species was 
observed for several days on the Taverham estate, near Norwich, 
feeding on ring doves, or “wood pigeons,” as they are familiarly 
called here, and on the morning of the 10th of November it was 
seen by one of the gamekeepers to strike down a pigeon, which it 
began to devour, but being disturbed by the keeper, who appeared 
on the scene, it took flight, alighting on a tall tree close by. The 
keeper proceeded to set a number of steel-falls, or traps, around 
the remains of the victim, into one of which her ladyship walked 
on her return to finish her breakfast, and was soon dispatched by 
the keeper, and sent to me the following day to be preserved. It 
proved to be in good order and very fat—its plumage clean and not 
a feather amiss. Since its arrival in that neighbourhood the bird had 
