NOTES AND QUERIES. 31 



Disparity in Size and Colour of Eggs of the same Species. — 



Referring to the notes under this head in recent numbers of ' The 

 Zoologist,' I can testify that an unusually small egg is not always the last 

 one laid in a set. In April, 1886, I found in a Rook's nest two fresh eggs, 

 one unusually large, the other a small one, about the size of a Sky Lark's 

 egg. I took them both ; the Rook did not forsake, but laid three more 

 eggs, and in due time hatched two young birds. In this instance the small 

 egg was probably the first of the clutch. Blue bullfinch-like eggs of the 

 Chaffinch are not- at all uncommon. I have found some half-dozen clutches 

 of these eggs, and seen many more during the last few years. — E. W. H. 

 Blagg (Cheadle, Staffordshire). 



Long-tailed Duck and Common Skua in Dorsetshire.— During the 

 mouth of November several Long-tailed Ducks, Harelda glacialis, made 

 their appearance in Poole Harbour, and five were shot, one of which was a 

 fine adult male, the others birds of the year. In the same harbour a 

 Great Skua, Stercorarius catarrhactes (Linn.), was observed in close 

 proximity to a "company" of Wigeon, one of which it had apparently 

 struck down, when a gunner, who was in pursuit of the latter birds, fired 

 and killed it. It is now in the possession of Mr. Robert Burns, of Wim- 

 borne. — J. C. Mansel-Pleydell (Whatcombe). 



Long-tailed Duck in Lincolnshire.— The unusual immigration of the 

 Long-tailed Duck, Harelda glacialis, during October and November last 

 noticed by the Rev. H. A. Macpherson, in 'The Zoologist' (1887, p. 432), 

 and subsequently in 'The Field' (pp. 773 & 852), has been very apparent 

 on the North Lincolnshire coast and on the Humber. On October 24th 

 I killed two at one shot at Tetney. On Nov. 15th three were exposed for 

 sale in a game-shop at Great Grimsby, and on the 29th two more in the 

 same shop. All these were said to have come from Killingholme, a village 

 eight or nine miles above Grimsby. Many more of these ducks are reported 

 to have been killed by wildfowl shooters on the Humber. All those above 

 mentioued were in immature plumage. — G. H. Caton Haigh (Grainsby 

 Hall, Great Grimsby). 



The Long-tailed Duck.— Saxby, who was very well acquainted with 

 the Long-tailed Duck, has recorded that in December, 1868, a bird of this 

 species was brought to him " in a very peculiar state of plumage, having a 

 few large black spots upon the breast " (' Birds of Shetland,' p. 262). On 

 December 1st, 1887, I obtained a somewhat analogous variety of this duck 

 from a pile of Common Scoters in the Metropolitan Market. This differs 

 from forty others that I have lately examined in the flesh, inasmuch as the 

 upper breast is profusely spotted with dark brown spots about the size of a 

 pea, the rest of the lower parts being pure white. A male that I sent to 

 Mr. 0. V. Apliu on November 27th showed a few black feathers appearing 



