186 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



continuous hard frost has been the exception rather than the rule ; this, 

 coupled with the extreme lowness of the water in the river, has made the 

 season anything but a prolific one to the local gunners. In the early part 

 of the season three "Wild Swans," and, still more recently, two "Wild 

 Geese," were reported in the local press to have been killed. On inspec- 

 tion they proved to be Mute Swans and Canada Geese, escaped, no doubt, 

 from some ornamental water. Wild Duck, Wigeon, and Teal were, 

 perhaps, as common as usual, with an occasional Pochard, immature 

 Goldeneye, or a stray Pintail ; but such species as the Goosander, Tufted 

 Duck, Sheldrake, and Gadwall were entirely absent ; and I heard of 

 but one specimen — a female — of the Shoveller having been met with : 

 not that any of the last-named species are ever very common, but 

 hitherto scarcely a winter has passed without my having seen one or more 

 of the species — especially the Goosander — at some age or another, mostly 

 immature, and occasionally a specimen in splendidly adult plumage. As 

 to the Pochard, I am informed on reliable authority that upon a portion of 

 the river where the wildfowl are preserved it was no uncommon occurrence, 

 some twelve or fourteen years ago, to kill eighteen or twenty of these birds 

 in a day's shooting, where now it is seldom met with, some winters not a 

 specimen being seen. It would be interesting to know if such is the 

 case in other places formerly frequented by it. On the 3rd of January 

 a fine specimen of the Common Bittern was killed ; I saw it before it was 

 dead, and was struck with the power it had of spreading out the long 

 feathers of its breast and neck, almost like a fan. Two days later 

 (viz. on the 5th January), three others were killed within a half-hour of 

 each other ; I had not heard of one before or since those dates. Since 

 the shooting ceased on the 1st of March two or three Geese, supposed to 

 be of the White-fronted species, were seen on several parts of the river, 

 and, notwithstanding the inclement weather previously, there is not much 

 doubt but that some Wild Ducks were laying before the shooting was over. 

 — G. B. Corbin (Ringwood, Hants). 



Herring Gull hatching a Fowl's Egg, and feeding on Mice.— The 

 following circumstance occurred recently at the west-end of this county : — 

 A Herring Gull had been allowed to run about the garden of its 

 owner for upwards of twelve years, and was supposed to be a male bird 

 until last spring, when it laid an egg, which, being infertile, was taken 

 away and replaced by a hen's egg, upon which the Gull continued to sit, 

 and in due time hatched one chick, on which she bestowed the most tender 

 parental attention. This is the more extraordinary, as she was in the 

 habit of resenting the approach of every fowl, old or young, and on several 

 occasions had killed and eaten chickens that had ventured too near ; this 

 practice she still retains. Shortly before her roosting-time she habitually 

 became excited, and, as far as her clipped wing permitted, flew around and 



