5146 THE ZooLocist—NoveEeMBER, 1876. 
the usual form of a wedge, and making a great noise: from 
description I should think they were bean geese. 
15th. Noticed small flocks of Ray’s wagtail in the meadows 
near Moorland, which on being disturbed constantly alighted on 
the tops of the elm trees. Pied wagtails are just now very numerous 
by the side of the river Parrett, and it is very curious to see them 
alight on the small masses of weed or other substances floating 
swiftly down the stream, and after sailing a hundred yards or more— 
actively engaged in catching the insects which may have collected 
thereon—fly back to meet the next approaching mass. 
18th. Remarked somejturtle doves and a spotted flycatcher; and 
saw a thrush, picked up on the railway, which had its head cut 
completely off—I presume, by flying against the telegraph-wire. 
20th. There were some common godwits in a poulterer’s shop 
at Bridgwater. 
23rd. Observed a flock of goldfinches, consisting of about twelve 
or fourteen: I mention this as I am told the species is becoming 
scarce in Somerset as well as in Devonshire. Mr. Peacock, of 
Plymouth, informs me that he this day purchased a specimen of 
the gray shrike (Lanius excubitor), which was caught by a bird-. 
catcher in the neighbourhood of that town; also a nice variety of 
the yellow bunting, wholly of a canary colour, which indeed, at 
first sight, he mistook for a bird of that species.* 
29th. There were some sedge warblers and a few reed buntings 
on the marshes and meadows in the vicinity of Northmoor. Tit- 
mice are very numerous in flocks among the pollard-willow trees 
in this district, but kestrels, which were so plentiful about two 
years since on Northmoor seem to have entirely deserted it, in 
consequence, no doubt, of the destruction of the rats and mice by 
the disastrous floods of last year. While the moors were sub- 
merged, I understand, the locality was visited by thousands of 
coots, ducks and gulls, and that the noise made by the cloud of. 
ducks when rising sounded like distant thunder. Green wood- 
peckers seem to be very abundant in the neighbourhoods of Moor- 
land and Bridgwater, but I have not observed any other species. 
Barn owls also appear rather common, notwithstanding which, some 
* On the 15th of September a similar variety of this species was forwarded to the 
Editor of ‘The Field’ by a correspondent in Ireland; but these lutinos are of 
course not common. One in Mr. Bond's collection was obtained some years ago, in 
Devonshire, we believe, by the Rey. Murray A. Mathew.—Ep. 
