NOTES AND QUERIES. 67 



Hobby taking Insects on the Wing. — Recently, when residing at 

 Kuraali, in the Himalayas, I used to notice in the evenings a flock of small 

 hawks hunting round the top of a hill ; they appeared to be taking something 

 on the wing. To make quite sure, I took my gun and shot one, and on 

 picking it up found it was a Hobby. On opening it, its stomach was 

 crammed with legs and wing-cases of beetles. These little falcons appear 

 particularly active in feeding at sunset when various insects are on the 

 wing; their movements are as graceful as those of the Swallow. I see 

 Dr. Jerdon, in his ' Birds of India,' mentions this fact. Prof. Newton also, 

 in ' Yarrell's British Birds ' (4th ed.), remarks that their food appears to 

 consist less of birds than of coleopterous insects, and that the stomachs of 

 two specimens examined by Mr. Henry Doubleday were filled with the 

 common dung-chaffer. — W. Wilfrid Cordeaux (Queen's Bays, Umballah, 

 Nov. 10, 1887). 



The Whimbrel in Somersetshire. — Referring to my note respecting 

 the Whimbrel in this county (Zool. 1887, p 466), 1 find my informant was 

 in error. I saw these birds on the moors about the 15th May, and my 

 companion, who lives near, said they were there " during the summer." 

 A few days ago I had the opportunity of talking to a young sporting moor 

 farmer, and he says that they arrive in greater or less numbers about the 

 end of April or the first or second week in May, and remain about three 

 weeks, which coincides with your foot-note. In his village they are called 

 the "cowslip bird," as their numbers are supposed to be greater or 

 less, according to the good or bad cowslip year. — H. St. B. Goldsmith 

 (Bridgewater). 



Jay in Co. Wexford. — With reference to Mr. J. E. Palmer's enquiry 

 as to whether the Jay is resident anywhere near Kildare, it may perhaps 

 interest him to know that it is abundant near New Ross, Co. Wexford. 

 About thirty years ago Jays and Squirrels were introduced at Stonestown 

 (near New Ross, and since that time they have hardly spread through the 

 county at all, though they are common and resident at Stonestown. 

 Squirrels, on the contrary, are now quite common at a distance of seven or 

 eight miles from New Ross. — G. E. H. Barrktt-Hamilton (Kilmanock, 

 New Ross, Co. Wexford). 



Autumn Migration of Birds in Co. Waterford. — Being further 

 removed than Mr. Ellison from the sources of migration, I could not 

 observe the arrival of such large and unbroken flocks as he mentions 

 (p. 18) ; but in corroboration of his statement as to the abundance of winter 

 migrants this season, I may mention that whereas Starlings (which with us 

 are winter visitants) seldom settle here before December, or later, I have this 

 season observed them feeding in flocks all over the country since the 23rd 



