The Zoologist — December, 1808. 1483 



Pomarine Skua on the Norfolk Coast.— On the 5th and 6lh of October two imma- 

 ture birds, mule and female, of the pomarine skua were shot; the first, a female, at 

 Stiifikey, and ihe other, a male, at Rollesby. Although both specimens measured 

 exactly the same, the male weighed two ounces less than the female, being fifteen 

 ounces. In their stomachs I found some pieces of cork, coal-cinders, bits of sea-weed, 

 and some yellowish matter not unlike mustard. — T. E. Gunn. 



Fulmar Petrel near Filey.— On the 26th of October an immature fulmar petrel 

 was taken on a hook at Filey. I found the oesophagus contained a bird, which I have 

 no hesitation in saying was a redwing, a fish of some description, a few gull's feathers, 

 and what I have little doubt are the mandibles of some of the Sepiadoe (since identified 

 as such by Mr. Cordeaux), alluded to by Macgillivray as forming the fulmar's prin- 

 cipal food. The curved point of the bill pale yellow; the lower mandible and the sides 

 of the upper horny flesh-colour; the superior ridge investing the nostrils black, and not 

 grayish while, as in the adult.— J. H. Gurney,jun. 



Fulmar Petrel at Flamborovgh. — On the 12th of November I had another pair of 

 Fulmars from Flamborough (in the flesh). Considering the vast numbers that resort 

 to St. Kikia, it is surprising that so few individuals are obtained along the English 

 coasts. — Id. 



The Great Auk. — It has been pointed out to me that the date given for the sup- 

 posed extinction of the gare-fowl (Zool. S. S. 1354) is erroneous, there being no 

 authentic record of its existence as lately as 1848. I must, however reluctantly, trace 

 the source of this error. I believe it originates with Dr. Charlton, who, in the ' Trans- 

 actions of the Tyneside Natural History Society,' reprinted in the 'Zoologist' (Zool. 

 6887), writes thus : — " It seems almost certain, too, that in 1848 a great auk was shot 

 on the island of Wardoe, within the arctic circle, by one of the peasants there." 

 Professor Newton, however, has I think satisfactorily shown in the ' Ibis' for October, 

 1861, reprinted in the ' Zoologist' (Zool. 8108) that this was a mistake. I believe the 

 bird occurred in 1844, but not since. — Edward Newman. 



Wild-fowl of Jamaica. — Now, during the rains (October and November), large 

 flocks of wild-fowl are coming over from Cuba and South America. Cold, wet, windy 

 weather is most favourable for their arrival. Blue-winged teal (Cganoplerus discors) 

 especially numerous, arriving in flocks of from thirty to two and three hundred. The 

 vast morasses and lagoons here afford shelter to innumerable aquatic birds at this 

 season, and I have obtained from the market sportsmen, owing to the severity of the 

 weather lately, several Scolopacidae I had not seen before, viz, bartailed sandpiper 

 (Tringa solitaria), spotted sandpiper (T. macularia), yellow-shanks gambel (Totatius 

 flavipes), the willet (Catoplrophorus semipalmalus), and other species. The rufous- 

 necked pelican is not uncommon, and may generally be observed in small parties of 

 six or eight fishing in the shallows, which abound here about the Coral Reefs. — Alwin 

 S. Bell, 3rd West India Regiment; Falmouth, Jamaica, October 5, 1868. 



Ornithological Notes from Stirlingshire for October, 1868. — October 12. To-day 

 my friend Mr. J. H. Belfrage shot a great spotted woodpecker here. Many others 

 have been obtained in the counties further north, principally towards the east 

 coast. 



October 13. I mentioned in my last communication (Zool. S. S. 1454), that I had 

 seen a buzzard on two consecutive Sundays last month. One, which 1 believe to be 

 the same, was shot about a week ago at Fintry. Fiutry is the part of this county 



