NOTES AND QUERIES. 73 



This is the first known instance of Redshanks breeding in this locaHty. 

 A pair of these birds visited the same piece of land six years ago, but after 

 staying a day or two they disappeared, and though they might have bred 

 on some of the moors around, I never heard of anyone having noticed 

 them. — Thomas Carter (Burton House, Masham). 



Snow Bunting in Somersetshire. — I have just seen a specimen of the 

 Snow Bunting, which was picked up at Lodway about the middle of 

 December last. It is a scarce bird in this county. The weather here 

 (Jan. '2i) is like April, and I hear that some Starlings have commenced 

 building already. — Roger Ford (VVraxall Court, Nailsea, Somerset). 



[Mr. Cecil Smith, in his ' Birds of Somersetshire,' has noticed the 

 occurrence of the Snow Bunting at Weston-super-Mare. It occurs on the 

 coasts of Devon and Cornwall in late autumn and winter, and ought not to 

 be rare at the same season in Somersetshire. — Ed.] 



Common Sandpiper in Winter. — As the Common Sandpiper, Totanus 

 hypoleucus, has hitherto, I believe, been coiisidei'ed only a summer visitant 

 to England, the following instances of its remaining here through the 

 winter may be interesting : — In 1879 a Common Sandpiper was brought 

 to me that had been killed on the Severn near Leighton, on Nov. 27th. 

 In 1882, 1 saw one near Leighton on Dec. 19th, and frequently afterwards 

 up to the end of March. Mr. H. P. Shaw also shot one, near Cound, on 

 Dec. 30th of that year. In 1883, 1 again saw one of these Sandpipers near 

 Leighton on Dec. 8th, and one^ probably the same bird, was shot there on 

 the 21st of that month. The three that have been killed were all birds of 

 the year, but in very good plumage. They were excessively wild and 

 difficult to get near. The one shot by Mr. Shaw is now in my possession, 

 and that killed on the 21st December is being preserved by Mr. Henry 

 Shaw, of Shrewsbury. I may add that this Sandpiper is common in 

 Shropshire in summer, usually arriving in April, and leaving again in 

 September, or the early part of October. There is no doubt about the 

 specific identity of the birds mentioned. They were very fat, and had 

 evidently, from the bright state of their plumage, found plenty to eat. No 

 symptoms of any previous wound could be found when skinning them, 

 and they certainly were well able to fly. — William E. Beckwith (Eaton 

 Constantine, Salop). 



Common Buzzard in Nottinghamshire. — One of these birds alighted 

 near the hall-door at Fountain Dale, where it allowed itself to be caught. 

 It was put in a stable, but the next morning died, evidently from shot- 

 wounds. It was in very poor condition, and its plumage was much draggled. 

 The Buzzard is now a rare bird in these parts, and as it is at once shot or 

 trapped when seen, I am afraid its breeding in any of the large woods here 

 is now a thing of the past. — J. Whitaeer (Raiuworth Lodge, Notts). 

 The Zoologist. — Feb. 1884. g 



