80 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



A few weeks ago a keeper near here found a nest of young Jays, one 

 of which was white, with slightly yellow markings on the wings, the other 

 three birds being of the ordinary colour. — T. Whitaker (Rainworth, Notts). 



Partridge perching. — About the middle of last June I was passing 

 below a large, old, low oak-tree that had once been pollarded, but now bears 

 branches again, when I was startled by what I took to be a Stock Dove 

 coming out of it; but I saw directly after that it was a Partridge, and 

 I believe a Red-legged or French one. Knowing that this bird not 

 unfrequently breeds on the top of straw-stacks, I made search for a nest, 

 but did not find one. The tree stands in a hedgerow near here, and Owls 

 have bred in it. — R. M. Christy (Chignal St. James, near Chelmsford). 



Snowy Owl in Donegal. — Mr. W. H. James, the principal light-keeper 

 on the Island of Inishtrahall, at the northern extremity of the county of 

 Donegal, has sent to this museum a Snowy Owl in immature plumage, 

 which he informs me was shot by himself at Inishtrahall on the 19th of 

 November last. It was first observed about six o'clock in the morning, 

 the wind being then north-west, squally, with hail showers. — A. G. More 

 (Curator of the Natural History Museum, Leinster House, Dublin). 



The Blue-tailed Bee-eater. — The example of this bird mentioned on 

 p. 33 has at length been traced, and it was exhibited at the scientific 

 meeting of the Zoological Society on January 16th by Mr. H. E. Dresser. 

 Since it proves to be an adult specimen, the mystery of the appearance of 

 this Asiatic species so far west remains as great as ever. Is it possible that 

 it was "changed at nurse?" — Henry T. Wharton (39, St. George's Road, 

 Kilburn, N.W.) 



Greenland Falcon in Sussex. — I have taken advantage of a visit to 

 Brighton to call on Mr. Swaysland, to whom I am indebted for an inspec- 

 tion of the Greenland Falcon recorded in the last number of 'The Zoologist' 

 (p. 34). I found it to be a fine adult Hierofalco candicans (Gmel.), of a 

 medium character as regards the extent of its dark markings, but I think 

 inclining to the light rather than to the darker phase of this very variable 

 species. This bird, when shot on the '26th September, had just completed 

 its moult, except as to the quill-feathers of the wings and tail ; in the latter 

 only two new feathers had yet appeared, both lateral and one on either 

 side. Each of these new feathers is an immaculate white, which is note- 

 worthy, as the older rectrices show traces of dark transverse bars, which, 

 however, are but very slight and rudimentary, except upon the central pair. 

 Mr. Swaysland informed me that the Falcon (probably the same individual) 

 which his son saw at Rousden in June had been observed about that locality 

 for some two months previously, and therefore it had probably not nested. 



T. H. Gurnky (Northrepps Hall, Norwich). 



