195 
ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES FROM DEVON AND CORNWALL. 
By JoHn GATCOMBE. 
Harty in January a Green Sandpiper was obtained near 
Plymouth, a very unusual date for this species to be met with in 
our neighbourhood, since it generally appears early in the autumn, 
and then but sparingly. Strange to say, I do not remember ever 
having seen a fresh specimen of the rarer Wood Sandpiper in the 
hands of any of the Plymouth birdstuffers, although it has not 
unfrequently been met with in Cornwall, especially in the Land’s 
End district. Razorbills, Guillemots, and Kittiwakes were very 
plentiful, and some young Great Black-backed Gulls also made 
their appearance, as they generally do, just after Christmas, and 
later towards spring pairs of adult birds appear in great numbers 
previous to leaving for their breeding quarters. Several adult 
Gannets were obtained, and the stomachs of those I examined 
were full of Sprats. 
On January 9th there was a very cold wind from the E.N.E. 
A large Northern Diver was fishing off the Devil’s Point, Stone- 
house, and an immense flock of Gulls, consisting of three or four 
hundred of various species, were to be seen crowding close 
together on the rocks near the Hoe, presenting such a sight 
as I never before beheld in that locality. The next day there 
was a great fall of snow; unusually severe weather followed; and 
our markets were soon stocked with Wildfowl, among which were 
Shovellers, Pochards, Tufted Ducks, Scaups, Shelldrakes, and 
immature Golden-eyes, with common Wild Ducks, Widgeon, and 
Teal in great abundance. A Bittern, and some Sclavonian 
Grebes, one Great Crested Grebe, and one Red-necked Grebe 
were also obtained. With regard to the Red-necked species, 
I have often been puzzled with its great variation in size; so 
much so, indeed, that I have almost been inclined to think there 
might be two species, or at least races of it. I have also met with 
specimens like that mentioned by Mr. D’Urban in ‘ The Zoologist’ 
a short time since, having stripes on the cheeks and neck; but 
these markings are undoubtedly indicative of immaturity, as in 
the young of the Great Crested Grebe; yet the examples I have 
seen so marked happened to be unusually large ones. The bills 
