22 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
down from a tree on which it was perched to feed with others on 
the mud-flats and sea-shore. 
On February 2nd two Hawfinches were brought from Car- 
green, near Saltash, by the side of the River Tamar. Their 
stomachs were filled with fragments of the kernels and shells of 
some stone-fruit. After some severe gales many Great Black- 
backed Gulls made their appearance in the harbour and Sound. 
Kingfishers were numerous, and I saw a fine adult bird of this 
species which was knocked down by a boy with a stone. On 
February 28th there were more Black Redstarts on the coast, 
and I observed Larus ridibundus with a complete black head. 
On March ist Waterhens were in full breeding-dress. By 
the 10th the Chiffchaff was to be seen at Brent, and on the 11th 
I remarked a Wheatear at the Devil’s Point. This I consider a 
rather early appearance. The wind at the time was 8.W., and 
the weather mild. On the 21st an adult male Peregrine was 
killed at Wembury, close to the breeding-place of the Herring 
Gulls, where a pair used annually to nest. The stomach con- 
tained no food, but several long, thin, white intestinal worms. 
On the 22nd an immature Red-throated Diver was obtained, a 
species now becoming very scarce on our coast. On the same 
day the Chiffchaff was seen and heard singing in a small garden, 
or rather court, quite in the centre of the town. By the 28th 
the Blackcap was also in full song, and the Corn Crake also 
was heard. 
On April 4th I purchased, in Plymouth Market, a common 
Ringdove, which at that late date did not show the least sign of 
the usual white patch, nor green metallic tint on the side of its 
neck ; the whole plumage, too, being suffused with a strong tinge 
of brown leads me to suppose it must have been one of a very 
late brood of the previous year. 
About this time our birdstuffer received a Common Buzzard, 
a Merlin, and a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker for preservation, all 
of which were killed in the neighbourhood. 
Mr. Stephen Clogg, of Looe, informed me that on May 5th 
he observed Swifts for the first time, and I saw some myself the 
following day at Plymouth. Five Dotterels (Eudromias mori- 
nellus) were sent for preservation from Dorset, in which county 
they were obtained. There were eight in the “trip” or flock, 
five of which were killed in two shots. On examination I found 
