430 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



the stomach perfectly empty, which had been killed on the shore 

 at Lowestoft, that day, during a heavy gale from the north-east. 

 The frost had been intensely severe for some days past, with 

 much snow on the ground, and that morning the frozen snow was 

 driven in sheets before the wind, baring the trees and house-tops, 

 and filling every crevice in its course. The old gunner who shot 

 it, and who for some hours had pluckily weathered the storm, 

 secured a fine Goosander as well. Swarms of wildfowl were said 

 to have been " whirling past " all day, with some Sheldrakes and 

 Brent Geese in abundance. Dunlins and Snipe were also killed 

 along the coast in considerable numbers. I had long wanted 

 a specimen of this, by no means common, Skua on our eastern 

 coast, and even during the great influx of Pomatorhine and 

 smaller Skuas in 1K70 I neither saw nor heard of an example of 

 this species. 



Long-tailed Duck. — On the 7th of February, 1881, Barton 

 shot a young female, which was swimming about in the harbour, 

 and, from its wasted condition and weather-beaten plumage, had 

 been either wounded, previously, or was a victim of " hard times" 

 in the preceding month. 



Pied Wagtails and Wheatears. — A somewhat late arrival 

 of both these species seems indicated by the following note, 

 received from Mr. Barton on the 23rd of May, 1881 :— " Yester- 

 day, in walking to Benacre, and when close to Covehithe, I saw 

 several Pied Wagtails arriving in threes and fours, and on the 

 21st, along the coast-line between Lowestoft and Yarmouth, 

 Wheatears were extremely numerous." 



Sanderlings. — During the same week, on the 22nd of May, 

 Mr. Barton also met with a flock of eight Sanderlings near 

 Covehithe, running about on the sands, and, by creeping on his 

 hands and knees, was able to watch them within fifteen or twenty 

 yards. Some were very red on the throat and breast, others as 

 conspicuously white. In following them up, after a short flight, 

 he was surprised at the pace they could run, fast enough to keep 

 a man at a good trot to get anywhere near them. 



Shore Lark. — One shot at Lowestoft on the 10th of October, 

 1881. 



