NOTES AND QUERIES. 149 



where I had marked them down. Out of the holes left in the mud by the 

 hoofs of cattle and buffaloes I would often, after some patient scrutiny of 

 the surface, note the head and eye of a Snipe, and knock it over before it 

 thought of taking to its wings. This, of course, I would not do now, but 

 allowance must be made for a boy at his first handling of a gun. I have 

 seen at times as many as twenty or thirty together in two or three inches 

 of water, busily feeding as late as 9 a.m. In fact, at a distance, I have 

 imagined that they were a flock of Teal. Some of the shallow pools (called 

 "tanks" by Anglo-Indians), in which I have observed Snipe feeding, were 

 close to large villages, and the surroundings of the water in places were not 

 in an over cleanly state. Few of the natives had firearms, and those who 

 had preferred game giving a heavier result in food and an easier mark than 

 Snipe. Indeed the birds did not show much fear of the villagers. — C. 

 Donovan, jun. (Myross Wood, Leap, Co. Cork). 



Birds hovering over dead Companions. — The Rev. W. Becher relates 

 (p. 70) that when he shot at some Starlings and killed several, the flock 

 returned and hovered over their dead companions, and he asks an explanation . 

 I can only say I have myself seen the following birds do the same thing : — 

 Wood Pigeons, House Pigeons (often). Starlings, Larks, Teal, Golden and 

 Green Plover. Last year I saw a lot of Green Plover on one of my fields, 

 and crawling down the hedge got within shot. I fired both barrels and 

 killed three. The rest flew about one hundred yards and then returned 

 over their dead companions. I shot another, and they again returned, 

 when I killed a fifth, after which they left. I fancy the report frightened 

 them, but on seeing some of their fellows left behind, they returned, 

 supposing there was no cause for alarm until finally convinced of their 

 mistake. — J. Whitaker (Rainworth Lodge, Notts). 



Siskin and Great Snipe in Co. Cork.— On January 3rd I shot a 

 solitary Siskin, Chrijsomitris spinits, Linn., near this place, and I gather 

 from a friend that he has frequently seen the bird in a wood in this 

 neighbourhood. The same friend shot a Great Snipe, Gallhiago major, 

 Gmehn, towards the end of last month ; and in the course of thirty years' 

 shooting experience has shot five or six in this part of the county. He 

 describes them as nearly equal in size to the Golden Plover. From this 

 and other peculiarities mentioned by him I conclude that these few (specially 

 remarked among thousands that have fallen to his gun) must have been the 

 Great Snipe. Dr. Harvey includes the Siskin in the avifauna of Cork, but 

 as very rarely met with : the Great Snipe finds no place in his list.— C. 

 Donovan, jon. (Myross Wood, Leap, Co. Cork). 



Great Grey Shrike and Snow Bunting in Somersetshire. — In the 

 February number of 'The Zoologist' (pp. 69, 73) I see notices of the 

 occurrence of these birds in this county, and in your editorial note you 



