5046 THE ZooLtocist—Aveust, 1876. 
for hours (S. S. 8690). I saw something similar on the Ist of this July at 
Overstrand, near Cromer. The number was much less, there being not 
more than one hundred and fifty, I should say, but the direction was the 
same, and the date only one day different. A hundred and fifty swifts upon 
a journey take a long time in passing, for besides going in a straggling flock 
they are slow flyers, in spite of their long wings. I should like to know if, 
on or about this date, a similar migration was observed anywhere else.— 
J. H. Gurney, jun. 
The Alpine Swift——The alpine swift mentioned by Mr. Stevenson (Zool. 
§. 8. $319) has now passed into my possession, and I am able to tell you 
that, like the other Norfolk one, it is in immature plumage; s0, at least, I 
judge from their dark colour, and from the fine white edging to some of the 
feathers, more particularly the secondaries. It is a male, and was shot by 
Mr. Alfred Andrews, of York. While writing on this species, I may as 
well mention a specimen which has not been recorded, which was seen by 
Mr. Bartlett in Kent, in June, 1871, and also that the example referred to 
in the ‘ Birds of Middlesex’ (p. 129) as shot near Reading in August, 1841, 
is the same which Yarrell records as being killed at Oakingham on the 8th 
of October, of that year (Preface to ‘ British Birds,’ 1st ed., ix.)—Zd. 
Nidification of Pheasants.—In mentioning the eggs which the keeper's 
boy found at Trimmingham (Zool. 8. 8. 4799), I might also add that he 
found a pheasant’s nest in the fork of a large ivied oak, about twenty feet 
from the ground, and that we have this summer had a nest nearly as high on 
the wall of a house overrun with ivy at Northrepps.—Id. 
Little Bittern at Plymouth.—Towards the end of April a Tauntonian 
had occasion to visit Plymouth, and, taking a walk just outside the town, 
noticed a curious bird in a field, which permitted him to approach it. This 
was an adult little bittern, which was standing on the ground with its head 
and bill pointed upwards (a favourite bittern attitude), and so exhausted by 
hunger that it allowed itself to be taken up by the hand. It was brought to 
Taunton alive, but died the next day, being reduced almost to a skeleton 
from starvation. ‘The occurrence of the little bittern in adult plumage in 
this country is very rare.—Murray A. Mathew ; Bishop's Lydeard, July 4, 
1876. 
Herons at Bishop’s Lydeard.—For seyeral days I have noticed herons 
flying over this village, and attribute their presence here—we are at a con- 
siderable distance from the uearest heronry—to the continued drought, 
which has so reduced the water in all our brooks that the trout in them 
must be an easy prey to these feathered poachers.—Id. 
Bartailed Godwit.—I beg to say that the British godwits which a saw in 
Leadenhall Market, to which Mr. Gatcombe alludes, were in beautiful 
summer plumage. I saw several more, quite as good, in a shop in 
Brompton.—J. H. Gurney, jun, 
