128 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



Migration of the Jay. — Referring to the notes which have already 

 appeared on this subject (pp. 1, 27, 70, 77), I may remark that the Jay has 

 certainly been more plentiful than usual with us during the past autumu 

 and winter. I have several times seen upwards of a dozen together; this 

 is in a part of the district where they hardly ever breed, hut where a few 

 may generally be noticed from October to March. — Oliveh V. Aplin. 



Assumption of Male Plumage by a Female Wild Duck. — A Wild 

 Duck, which wits hatched and brought up in a domesticated state in the 

 parish of Northrepps in the year 1854, lived till February, 18s:S, when it 

 died, after having been for some months quite blind. For the last eight 

 years of its life, or thereabouts, this Duck has exhibited a complete drake's 

 plumage, with the exception of a sprinkling of brown intermixed with the 

 green male plumage on the sides of the head and neck, and also with the 

 exception of a very few brown feathers of the female type scattered on the 

 Hanks.— J. H. Guksey (Northrepps Hall, Norwich). 



Moorhen in a Rabbit's Earth. — Whilst ferreting on Feb. Srd a Moor- 

 hen {Qallinula chloropus) came out of a rabbit's hole. Not having heard 

 of a similar circumstance, I inform you of the fact. — Dakell Stephens 

 (Mapperton, Beaminster, Dorset). 



[Doubtless the bird was suddenly surprised, and no other place of con- 

 cealment was at hand. We have more than once seen a Moorhen attempt 

 to creep into the hole of a Water Rat, which proved too small for it, and 

 have also seen a winged Red-legged Partridge take refuge in a Rabbit's- 

 burrow. — Ed.] 



Uncommon Birds near York. — The following uncommon birds have 

 recently been obtained in the neighbourhood of York, and are now in the 

 hands of .Mr. E. Allen, of Feasegate, in this city, for preservation, where I 

 have had the opportunity of seeing them. A Wax wing, shot at Acaster ; a 

 Peregrine Falcon, killed near Escrick ; a Grey Plover, obtained near 

 Cottingwith ; a Greenshank (Totunxis glottis), shot at Sheriff Hutton ; a 

 Turnstone, killed on Eldwick Moor out of a flock of seven ; a White- 

 fronted Goose, obtained at Cottingwith ; a Great Grey Shrike, shot at 

 Eiplingcotes ; a Little Auk, from near Harrogate ; an American Bittern 

 (Botaurus lentiginosus), shot at Welbury ; and a Common Bittern [Botaious 

 stellaris), killed near Hull. Besides these I saw a curious rufous variety of 

 Phasiaints colchicus, and a pied variety of the Blackbird. — C. D. Wolsten- 

 holme (York). 



Grey Phalarope in North Oxon. — On the 22nd December last I 

 examined an adult specimen of the Grey Phalarope (Phalaropusfidicarius), 

 which a boatman had that morning picked up by the canal-side about a mile 

 north of this town. — Oliver V. Aplin (Banbury, Oxon). 



