OCCASIONAL NOTES. 435 



Manx Shearwater in Somerset. — As this is the first time I have 

 been able to record the appearance of the Manx Shearwater, Puffinus 

 anglorum, in this county, I think it worth while to send you a note of its 

 occurrence at Milvertou, quite inland, — a good fourteen miles from the 

 Bristol Channel, — during the last week in September. It was a full- 

 plumaged adult bird, with pure white under parts. It was most probably 

 crossing from the Bristol to the English Channel, and pitching on the 

 ground was unable to rise, as it was found running under a hayrick to 

 hide itself, and was immediately slaughtered by the person who found it. 

 Seeing that it breeds at the Scilly Islands, mid, according to Mr. A. G. More, 

 at Lundv Island also, it seems odd thar the Manx Shearwater does not 

 more frequently occur as a straggler on our coast; but, as already observed, 

 this is the first I have seen or heard of either inland or on the coast of 

 Somerset, though it is by no means uncommon on both coasts of Devon, 

 especially in autumn. — Cecil Smith (Bishop's Lydeard, Tauuton). 



Fire-crested Regulus tn Jersey. — In Ansted's 'Cbaunel Islands 'a 

 very fair list is given of the birds of Guernsey, which applies well to Jersey, 

 but the Fire-crested Regulus is omitted, which is quite as common here, 

 I find, as the Goldcrest. — J. Sin el (Bagot, Jersey). 



Martins breeding in Bayswater. — During the last three or four 

 years 1 have observed a colony of House Martins, H. urbica, breeding in 

 the neighbourhood of Westbourne Terrace. Two years ago I counted over 

 a dozen nests in that Terrace. They returned to the same spot last year, 

 but their nesting operations were disturbed by the house-painters. It is 

 probably on this account that they have now entirely deserted the place, 

 and have established themselves close by in Sussex Square, where, on the 

 west side, in July, I counted ten nests. During the daytime they might 

 generally be seen hawking for flies over the Serpentine. — J. Young 

 (64, Hereford Road, Bayswater). 



Early Arrival of the Jack Snipe. — A Jack Snipe was shot on 

 the banks of the Cherwell, near here, and brought to us on the 15th 

 September. This is the earliest date for its arrival in North Oxon that 

 I am aware of; the only other example, to my knowledge, procured in 

 September, was shot by one of our party in 1879, on the 24th of the mouth, 

 and recorded in ' The Field ' for that year. Since then I have heard of 

 another specimen. It was picked up on the 23rd, having flown against the 

 telegraph-wires. — Oliver V. Aplin (Banbury, Oxon). 



The Smooth Snake in Surrey. — 1 was much pleased during the 

 past summer to find a snake of this species [Coronella Levis) by a roadside 

 near Chobham Bridges. As I have never seen any record of its occurrence 

 in Surrey, I think this fact may be worthy of note. It was of quiet 



3 K 



