148 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



Not having ever seen or heard of such a variety, I sent the skin to Professor 

 Newton, of Cambridge, who identified it as an uncommon variety of the 

 Grouse, which he has seen from several localities in Scotland; but hitherto 

 this form has not been recoguised in Ireland. It is, as I learn from 

 Professor Newton, the variety entered as "persicus," in Gray's ' Hand- 

 list,' having been first described by Mr. G. R. Gray, under this strange 

 name, through some misapprehension of its patria. Our museum is 

 fortunate in holding possession, though only on loan, of so rare and 

 interesting a specimen. Would that all Irish naturalists would follow 

 the liberal example of Mr. Scott, and we should soon have before the public 

 all the rarities as they occur. — A. G. Moris (Curator of the Dublin Natural 

 History Museum.) 



Great Grey Shrike in Devon. — Early in March an immature 

 specimen of the Great Grey Shrike was brought to me in the flesh. It 

 was shot at Morchard Bishop, in North Devon, about thirteen miles N.W. 

 of Exeter. The only other instances of the occurrence of this Shrike in 

 this county that are known to me are as follows: — One at Topsham, 1839 

 (F. W. L. Ross); one at Exeter, 1845 (Dr. W. R. Scott); one at Torquay, 

 July, 1805 (R. Cumming); one near Honiton, January, 1871; and one 

 between Lydford and Bridestowe. November 16th, 187(i (J. Gatcombe). — 

 W. S. M. D'Urban (Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter). 



Great Grey Shrike in Breconshire — I am indebted to Mr. Roche, 

 of Tregunter, our present high sheriff, for the particulars regarding the 

 occurrence of this rare visitor ; it was seen both by himself and his brother 

 at Tredustan, near Tregunter, in November last, and was at once recoguised, 

 Mr. Roche having often seen the Great Grey Shrike on the Continent. — 

 E. Cambridge Phillips (Brecon, S. Wales). 



Great Grey Shrike near Barnsley. — On January 7th I saw, in the 

 hands of a bird-stuffer of this town, a fine specimen of the Great Gray 

 Shrike {Lanius excuhitor), which had been shot the day before " while 

 chasing insects." It is a rare winter visitor to this neighbourhood. In 

 Mr. T. Lister's paper on the ' Birds of the Barnsley and South Yorkshire 

 District,' six occurrences only of this bird are noted near here since 1831, 

 none of which are of recent date. The Snow Bunting has been observed 

 here this winter, though in less numbers than last year; only three speci- 

 mens have, I believe, been reported, one of which was in winter plumage. 

 — Wm. E. Brady (1, Queen Street, Barnsley). 



Notes on Birds in Nottinghamshire. — During the past autumn and 

 winter very few birds of the rarer kinds have come under my notice. I may 

 mention the following: — An Osprey was killed in October last at Clawson ; 

 a Peregrine stayed about the woods here for a week, and I could have shot 



