OCCASIONAL NOTES. 305 



sea ; but the Rock Dove, C. livia, I have never yet met with on this part 

 of the coast, though our sea-cliffs are in many places tenanted by stray 

 pigeons from the farm-houses. These birds breed in the caves, and some 

 of them very much resemble the wild Rock Dove, and might be mistaken 

 for it. The Ring Dove, 0. palumbus, often nests in ivy and other bushes 

 on our sea-cliffs, as well as more commonly inland. I have several times 

 found its nest in low bushes in coppices, within twelve or eighteen inches 

 of the ground. I have met with two instances of the occurrence of the 

 Virginian Quail, Ortyx virginianus, near the Solway. One I remember 

 very well, a good many years ago, being shot while picking about among 

 the refuse caused by threshing operations, near Allonby, in Cumberland. 

 The other was at Dalbeattie, in Kirkcudbrightshire, some years ago, and 

 had been several times seen in the neighbourhood before it was finally 

 obtained. The Golden Plover was scarce on the coast last winter, owing 

 no doubt to the mildness of the season. We usually have a few Grey 

 Plover at certain places along the coast. Last winter I did not see one, 

 though probably a few may have occurred at some stations. The Lapwing 

 usually disappears entirely during December and January, hut last winter 

 many remained with us. The Turnstone and Purple Sandpiper were both 

 decidedly more plentiful than usual, though nowhere common, and remained 

 in about the same numbers throughout the winter. A Forked-tailed Petrel, 

 Thalassidroma Leachii, came ashore and was picked up on the 6th December 

 last. It was rather spoiled, but owing to its rarity I stuffed it, and it is 

 now in my collection. Another was picked up some miles to the west- 

 ward about the same time ; and a Petrel seen on the wing near shore by 

 a friend of mine might probably belong to this species, which seems to have 

 occurred at many other places in Great Britain about the same time. — 

 J. J. Akmistead (Douglas House, Dalbeattie, N.B.) 



Kentish Plover in Sussex. — This bird breeds on the Sussex coast 

 between Newhaven and Beachy Head. Each pair appears to be confined 

 to a limited district on the shingly shore, and if disturbed fly but a short 

 distance and soon return to the spot left. I have observed a pair on each 

 side of Seaford for years. The pair on the eastern side of the town were 

 this year breeding in the old spot, notwithstanding that last year a sea-wall 

 was made from the eastern cliff to the town, aud this year a road is being 

 formed within the wall, and several roads leading from the town to the 

 sea-side. A number of workmen are employed in removing large quantities 

 of chalk from the cliff, carting it along a tramway, and throwing it over 

 the embankment to make the road. In addition, there are more than a 

 dozen men engaged in breaking up the wreck of a ship of 2000 tons burden, 

 making as much noise as oue would hear in a foundry. Then there are 

 numerous visitors to the wreck aud to the beach. Yet in the midst of all 



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