NOTES AND QUERIES. 377 



(between Cape Clear and the Galley). I had no opportunity of visiting 

 "the Stags," and testing the accuracy of his statement. The Gannet is, 

 I believe, seldom seen in such narrow and frequented waters as the 

 Harbour. — C. Donovan, jun. (Myross Wood, Leap, Co. Cork). 



[The "Stags" above mentioned are not to be confounded with the 

 " Stags of Broadhaven," off the coast of Mayo, a former nesting-haunt 

 of the Gannet, but now deserted. — Ed.] 



Black Tern and Dunlin in Nottinghamshire. — When walking round 

 the ponds here, on the 28th April last, I saw three of these elegant Terns 

 flying over the water ; they were very tame, often coming within ten yards 

 of me. I was very much struck with their easy flight, and though numbers 

 of Swallows and Martins were flying round they did not suffer by com- 

 parison. From the side of this piece of water I flushed a Dunlin, which 

 flew right away. On another pond I found Tufted Ducks (four pairs), 

 Shovellers, Common Ducks, and Teal. — J. WHiTAKtcii (Rainworth Lodge, 

 near Mountsfield). 



A white Curlew. — A white Curlew, Numenius arquata, was captured 

 on August 2nd, near Huntspill, and seut to me by Mr. Clement Govett, 

 of that place. In a note seut with the bird Mr. Govett writes : — " A man 

 caught it alive, entangled in some weeds in a ditch near the sea, and killed 

 it by putting a needle through its head. Knowing you were fond of such 

 birds I secured it, and have sent it to you." — John Marshall (Belmont, 

 Taunton). 



[Albinism, though of not unfrequent occurrence amongst the passerine 

 birds, is rarely observed in the LimicolcB. A long list might be made of 

 white varieties of the former, but amongst the latter comparatively few could 

 be enumerated. In February, 1851, a pure white Knot was shot near 

 Maldon, Essex, as recorded in ' The Zoologist' of that year (p. 3116), and 

 in the autumn of 1875 a white Redshank was shot at Shoreham, by 

 Mr. Edward Bennett, of Western Terrace, Brighton. We have heard of a 

 few white Woodcocks, and several that were either cream-coloured or buff. 

 On January 1st, 1874, a pure white cock was shot near Tallow, Co. Water- 

 ford, and sent to Dublin for preservation by Mr. Williams, of Dame Street. 

 Very rarely a white Snipe has been met with, but we have seen several 

 that were pied or particoloured, having the quill-feathers in both wings 

 white. In January, 1867, a keeper in the service of Mr. C. G. Elers, of 

 Marsham Manor, Dorsetshire, shot a pied Snipe, which was described as 

 "dun colour and white," and which is preserved in the collection of Mr. 

 Marden, of Lyme Regis. — Ed.] 



Partial Melanism in the Missel Thrush.— An example of Tardus 

 viscivorus has been sent to me, in which the breast and under parts are 

 entirely black. The wings are black, edged with buff; the upper parts 



