458 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



pretty effect, looking almost transparent. In the stomach of an 

 adult male Sheldrake sent from Cornwall I found a quantity of 

 small shells, some fine sand, and a few fragments of Ulva. By 

 the 27th most of the Lesser Black-backed Gulls had left for their 

 breeding stations, but many non-breeding birds still remained, as 

 do also a large number of Curlews on the banks of our estuaries. 

 On the 29th a tremendous gale occurred, causing great destruction 

 everywhere amongst the young Rooks. 



On May 1st I heard the note of the Whimbrel ; and by the 

 3rd of that month I observed several Swifts high in the air, 

 hawking for insects as late as half-past seven in the evening. 

 Visited the breeding places of the Herring Gulls at Wembury on 

 the 8th, and found several nests with eggs in them, but none with 

 young ; and also remarked among the nesting birds a few which 

 had not quite assumed their fully-adult dress, having some of the 

 middle tail-feathers more or less freckled with brown. Many 

 Cormorants and Shags, both in autumn and immature plumage, 

 were to be seen on the rocks below, but no Peregrines nesting (as 

 they had done for many previous years) on the cliffs. A farmer, 

 who had killed a great many, told me that he always shot them 

 when possible, as he and others in the neighbourhood could not 

 afford to lose the pigeons and poultry which they killed^ The 

 bills of two Kingfishers examined were covered with earth, as if 

 they had been excavating the river's bank instead of appropriating 

 the hole of a Water Rat. On the 19th a Grey Plover in nearly 

 full summer dress was brought to one of our birdstuffer's, and I 

 found in its stomach a small crab. This bird is rarely found with 

 us so late in spring. A female Kestrel which I examined was in 

 somewhat remarkable plumage, having the appearance of being 

 stained or washed with saffron-yellow. Strange to say, it had 

 apparently been feeding on fish, judging from the quantity of 

 scales I found in its stomach, which, indeed, smelt as strong as 

 that of any sea-bird. The Curlew has been found breeding on 

 Dartmoor, and eggs were taken during this month, A friend of 

 mine — Mr. James, of Plymouth — informed me that when fishing 

 in the Dee a short time previously he had witnessed an interesting 

 episode. On looking up the river he observed what appeared like 

 a bird with four wings flying towards him. On its nearer 

 approach he saw that it was a Sparrowhawk which had clutched 

 a Common Sandpiper, and both birds using their wings at the 



