102 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



Tufted Duck, Fuligida cristata, Leach. — I observed a male of 

 this species on the Tyne on Feb. 12, 1875. It is possible that it 

 may have been a Scaup, as it was nearly a hundred yards distant 

 from where I stood watching it, but I do not think it was. 



Golden Eye, Clangula glaucion, L. — I have several times seen 

 females or immature examples of this salt-water duck on the 

 Tyne ; once I noted an old male. 



Goosander, Men/us merganser, L. — Several times seen alive 

 on the T3^ne, generally young examples or females. On Dec. 21, 

 1878, a fine old male, in the flesh, passed through my hands, 

 which had been shot on the Tyne at Smithy Burn, near Stocks- 

 field. 



Red-breasted Merganser, M. serrator, L. — I only once satis- 

 factorily identified this bird near Eiding Mill. 



Eing Dove, Columha palumhus, L. — Common ; to some extent 

 migratory during the winter months. On Oct. 1, 1876, when I 

 was ascending a crab-tree, with a view to gathering the fruit for 

 culinary purposes, I was surprised to see a Eing Dove fly off 

 from a nest in the tree, and to find that she was sitting on 

 an egg. 



[Stock Dove, C (enas, L. — The occiuTence of this species in 

 the neighbourhood has been several times reported to me, but I 

 have never been able to confirm it, though I have shot a good 

 number of Pigeons in the woods. I heard, too, that it had 

 nested in the Scar at Thornbrough, but, though I have seen 

 many Eing Doves fly from holes in that Scar, where they regu- 

 larly nest, I never saw a Stock Dove.] 



Pheasant, Phasianus colchicus, L. — By the introduction of the 

 oriental race of the Pheasant the breed of English Pheasants has 

 been completely modified, both in appearance and habits, and 

 the bird should be called " P. torqiiato-colchicm." On the higher 

 grounds near Eiding Mill wild-bred birds still occur, which have 

 little or no trace of the white collar, and are of a darker colour 

 than most English Pheasants, approximating nearly to the true 

 colchicus ; I once shot a male of the Bohemian variety on the 

 estate of Henry Straker, Esq., and another on the Healey Estate 

 with a white head. 



Partridge, Pcrdix cinerea, Lath. — A common resident, yet, 

 like most birds, to some extent migratory. I have known, on 

 the Healey Estate, a large covey vanish in the beginning of the 



