2f)(i THE ZOOLOGIST. 



Bunting's in markings, but the eggs of the Cuckoo found on this place 

 on the 24th and 25th were quite undistinguishable from one another, and I 

 should say were certainly laid by the same bird.— C. Bygrave Wharton 

 (Hounsdown, Totton, Southampton). 



Ornithological Notes from Jersey. — During last winter an unusual 

 number of Great Northern Divers remained with us, their favourite haunt 

 being the shallows around La Rocque Point, where, on almost any day 

 during December and January, from thirty to forty of these beautiful birds 

 might be seen at once. On one occasion no less than ten of them were in 

 the little harbour there, within a hundred yards of the fishermen's houses. 

 We also had a great number of Sclavonian Grebes, some which came into 

 my possession in the month of January, having the beautiful bronze- 

 coloured ear-coverts of their summer dress. The Red-necked and Great 

 Crested Grebes (the latter a rare visitor) were fairly represented. Other 

 winter visitors, such as Brent Geese, various Ducks and Mergansers, were 

 very scarce. Of the large flocks of the first-named, which usually occupy 

 the bay of St. Aubin, I only saw a few solitary specimens, and the markets, 

 generally well supplied with these birds from La Rocque and the Minquier 

 rocks, had very few of them. Our inland visitors, the Woodcock, Snipe, 

 and Plovers, were scarce. Of uncommon visitors, one Richardson's Skua, 

 in immature plumage, was taken alive (having been wouuded) in St. 

 Brelade's Bay, and is now in my possosion. It is, I think, only the second 

 specimen recorded from Jersey. Reverting to the Great Northern Diver, 

 many of your readers have probably been struck with the great difference 

 in the measurements of this bird, as given by different authorities, Bewick 

 giving the length as three feet six Laches, Yarrell two feet six inches to two 

 feet nine inches. Bearing this in mind, I carefully measured some twenty 

 specimens which I obtained during the winter, with the following result : — 

 Males, two feet nine inches to three feet three inches : females, uniformly 

 two feet six inches. As regards weight, I found that, in all cases, below 

 that given by the books (fourteen and sixteen pounds); the largest specimen 

 I have had, although in good condition, weighed but liine-and-three-quarter 

 pounds. Of specimens obtained in January, one female was in full plumage 

 and two others nearly so ; males uniformly in the more sombre dress, or with 

 just a few white spots on the scapulars. — J. Sinel (Bagot, Jersey). 



Curlew Sandpiper in Cornwall. — While fishing on the banks of 

 the Bude reservoir towards the end of May, my brother, Col. Mathew, 

 found himself close to a Curlew Sandpiper in the rich chesnut dress of the 

 complete summer plumage. This Sandpiper is very rare in the spring on 

 the south-west coast, although common enough in the autumn. Many 

 years ago Mr. S. B. Heaven shot some in the month of May on Lundy 

 Island, and this is the only other instance within my experience of the 



