NOTES AND QUERIES. 221 



Plymouth. On the 18th March, returning from a long country walk 



without having seen anything worth noticing, as I passed over the bridge 



near the Custom House on Exeter Quay, a bird suddenly appeared before 



me, which I at once perceived was something I had never seen before. It 



was rather tame, but very restless, and evidently a stranger, creeping along 



at the base of the walls of the goods sheds, where it attracted the attention 



of some Sparrows, who mobbed it. It was a Pipit, having a grey head and 



back ; white throat, breast, and belly, slightly tinged with buff on the sides 



of the neck, and the outer tail-feathers were pure white. It opened and 



shut its tail, displaying the white feathers. I think there is little doubt 



but that it was a Water Pipit (Anthus spipoletta) in full breeding plumage. 



It was very like the figures in Professor Newton's edition of Yarrell's 



' British Birds.' I went to look for it several times subsequently, but 



could not see it again. Specimens of Pipits killed at Beer in February 



last have been sent me as Water Pipits, but they appear to be the variety 



of the Rock Pipit called Anthus rupestris, Nilsson. On the 23rd (Good 



Friday) I saw a male Continental White Wagtail near Exeter. I am 



pretty sure this species breeds annually in a pigeon-hole in a stable wall 



about three miles from Exeter. On the 25th (Easter Day) I observed one 



Chiffchaff, evidently just arrived, being very tame, allowing me to approach 



it within a foot or two. I saw no others then nor any since. On the 28th a 



very remarkable variety of the Nuthatch was shot within the city limits of 



Exeter. There is no white on the lower parts, which are dark-lead colour. 



The head is much darker than usual, and the black line through the eye is 



broader. The rufous patch over the thigh is rather larger and deeper in 



colour. There is only a very slightly light-coloured patch on the side of 



the neck. About this time a Guillemot, still in winter plumage, was 



picked up dead on the coast, evidently starved to death ; and another 



Greater Black-backed Gull was obtained on the river. On the 29th a 



male Ring Ouzel was shot at Alphington, close to Exeter, being the first I 



have ever heard of occurring in the spring in this neighbourhood, though it 



has been seen at Exmouth, and in other places around Exeter, in autumn, 



and is numerous on the Tors of Dartmoor. A Rough-legged Buzzard was 



killed near Lustleigh, Dartmoor, on the 28th March. Hedgesparrows 



and Starlings were building on the 2nd April. — W. S. M. D'Uiiban (Albert 



Memorial Museum, Exeter). 



Heronries in Somersetshire.— When out hunting with the Taunton 

 Vale Hounds last year, 1882, as we were running through the coverts at 

 Halsewell on the 3rd of April, several Herons rose from some fir trees in 

 the woods. I counted ten then, and there were several others on the trees, 

 which kept up a constant croaking at the hounds as they were running 

 past. I did not then know of the existence of a herony at Halsewell, so 

 was surprised to see so many Herons on the trees, evidently building or 



