106 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
which had been stranded on the banks of the Severn, and most gratified 
was I with the sight. I fear the purchasers of the two Plymouth whales 
must have experienced great pecuniary loss.—Jonn GatcomBE (Durnford 
Street, Stonehouse, Plymouth). 
BIRDS. 
Observations on the Migration of Birds.—We have received the 
following appeal from Mr. Cordeaux on behalf of a Committee appointed 
by the British Association, and heartily commend it to the notice of our 
readers. Mr. Cordeaux says:—‘ You are doubtless aware that in 1880 
a Committee was appointed by the British Association, for the purpose of 
collecting observations ou the Migration of Birds at Lighthouses and Light- 
ships, and that this Committee has since been annually re-appointed by the 
same Association, which in 1882 granted £15, in 1883 and 1884 £20, and 
in 1885 £30, in aid of the expenses incidental to the enquiry. Six reports 
have already been issued by the Committee, and a seventh is now in course 
of preparation. About 200 stations on the coasts of Great Britain and 
Ireland and the outlying islands, as well as several foreign stations, are 
annually supplied with letters of instruction and printed schedules for 
registering the occurrence of birds. The work of distributing these circulars, 
the constant correspondence with the observers, the tabulation and recording 
of each separate entry, and subsequent writing of the report, entail a great 
amount of labour, and from the increasing interest taken in the enquiry, as 
indicated by the number of well-filled schedules sent in, there is every 
prospect of the work being much heavier in the future. It is highly 
desirable that the observers should be supplied with some means of for- 
warding the wings and feet of any birds killed against the lanterns of the 
lighthouses and lightships, as well as small specimens entire. Unless this 
is systematically done, no really accurate results of the species on migration 
can be arrived at. Unfortunately, the funds at the disposal of the Com- 
mitee are totally inadequate to meet the annually increasing and heavy 
demands made upon it, and in the last year the expenditure amounted to 
£74 18s. 10d.; the receipts, including the grant made by the British 
Association, to £36 10s., leaving a balance of £38 3s. 10d. to be made 
good by the members of the Committee. On these grounds, therefore, 
Donations or Annual Subscriptions are earnestly invited from those taking 
an interest in the subject—Joun Corpraux (Secretary to the Committee, 
Great Cotes, Ulceby, Lincolnshire).” 
The Destruction of Rare Birds.—The Kditor’s remarks (p.74) induce 
me to say a word or two upon the destruction of rare British birds. In 
every volume of ‘The Zoologist,’ and of other natural-history journals, 
numerous instances are recorded of the destruction of European and other 
birds which periodically visit this country. Several of these, as the Golden 
