84 THK ZOOLOGIST 



specimen of the Blue-tailed Bee-eater [Merops philippinus, Linn.) was shot 

 near the Snook, Seaton Oarew, in August, 1802." Endeavours have been 

 recently made to obtain this example for identification, but without success ; 

 when its whereabouts are known it will probably prove to be a specimen 

 of the Blue-cheeked Bee-eater {Merops persicus, Pallas), as Mr. Dresser 

 remarked in his article in the ' Birds of Europe,' v. p. 168 (1877). It is 

 much more probable for the ordinary African species to occur in Great 

 Britain than for an inhabitant of the Philippines to wander so far west. 

 The young of the two species bear a close resemblance to one another. — 

 H. T Wharton (39, St. George's Road, Kilburn, N.W.) 



The Tawny Pipit in Sussex.— On the 23rd October last a Tawny 

 Pipit, Anthua compestris, was caught by a birdcateher in the neighbourhood 

 of Brighton. Five instances of the occurrence of this bird in England are 

 recorded in Mr. Harting's 'Handbook of British Birds '(p. 108). Since 

 the publication of this work, in 1872, two more have been reported, which, 

 together with the subject under notice, bring the number up to eight. It 

 seems somewhat strange that, with a single exception (the one from Scilly, 

 noticed by Mr. Kodd, Zool. 1868, p. 1458), all these specimens have been 

 obtained in the neighbourhood of Brighton.— Thomas Parkin (Halton, 

 near Hastings). 



Building Sites of the House Martin.— In reading your review of 

 Mr. Lucas's book on the 'Natural History of Nidderdale' (Zool. 1882, 

 p. 437), I was struck with the mention of a breeding locality of Ilinutdo 

 urbica, under the ledges of the limestone cliffs in Wharfedale, as also of a 

 remark implying that it was only among limestone cliffs that the nests were 

 to be met with in this, their natural position. I am acquainted with three 

 localities where the nests are to be met with in cliffs : namely, among the 

 rocks of Cromarty (in a gully near the sea-shore), which are red-sandstone, 

 as is well known ; secondly, in some sandstone rocks by the side of a small 

 stream that runs through the woods of Daruaway, N.B. ; and, thirdly, on 

 the sea-cliffs near Berry Head, Devon, where the formation is limestone. — 

 0. Young (Llandaff). 



Gyr Falcon in Sussex.— A fine specimen of this noble Falcon was 

 shot by Mr. G. Foord, of Balsdean, on September 26th. It was brought 

 to Lewes Market on the above-mentioned day, sold to Mr. R. J. Woodman, 

 and re-sold by him to me. It had been seen some weeks previously on the 

 Downs, near Balsdeau. The exact locality where the bird was killed was 

 on the top of Bullock Hill, near Balsdean, which hill is well known to 

 the followers of the Brookside Harriers. It was sent to Mr. Swavsland, 

 taxidermist, of Queen's Road, Brighton, to be preserved, and from him 

 I have learned the following particulars :— The Falcon proved to be a 

 female, in good plumage, and, from the colouring, an adult bird of some age, 



