52 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
the base of the bill was only partially developed in one of them. 
On the 12th a fine female Peregrine was trapped near Gnaton 
Hall, a few miles from Plymouth, which, I think, must have 
nested in the neighbourhood—most likely in the cliffs by the side 
of the River Yealm, near the breeding station of the Herring 
Gulls. A few Swallows and Martins remained with us up to the 
16th, and the last Wheatear observed by me was on the 19th. 
Several Short-eared Owls made their appearance about this date, 
and some Woodcocks and Widgeon were to be seen in the markets. 
I also observed two Water Ouzels in the flesh at a birdstuffer’s 
shop, and a young Ring Ouzel about the same time. 
On November 27th two Great Northern Divers made their 
appearance in the Sound, after a severe gale, and were the first I 
had seen for the season. One was a young bird of the year, but 
the other a splendid fellow, which had lost but little of his 
summer dress, the back beautifully spotted, and the bands on the 
neck apparently perfect, with the exception of a few white feathers 
which were to be observed about the chin. Adult birds in such 
plumage are rarely met with in Plymouth Sound at any time, 
much less so late in the autumn. I am sorry to say the younger 
bird was quickly killed, and the old one, I fear, mortally wounded, 
although it managed, with the greatest difficulty, to get away. 
Notwithstanding that I was daily on the watch, not a single 
Black Redstart did I see—a circumstance that has not happened 
to me for at least twenty years, for these birds almost invariably 
appear during the first week in November, and sometimes before 
the end of October. I fear many must have been destroyed on 
their passage across the Channel during the teriffic gales of 
November. 
About that date I heard some interesting accounts of storm- 
driven and fatigued birds alighting on board ship far out of sight 
of land. A young friend, who had just returned from a long and 
protracted voyage, told me that, on nearing Ireland, many small 
birds of various kinds came on board, and among them a Redshank 
which ran about the deck quite tame. The captain being a 
humane man and fond of animals, very properly would not 
allow one of them to be caught or molested in any way, and 
actually kept the cat shut up in his cabin until the birds left 
the ship, which they did on coming within sight of land. The men 
derived much amusement in feeding them whilst they remained 
