190 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



brought them to a bird-preserver, still warm, to be set up, saying how 

 he had killed them, which was the reason why he wished them stuffed. 

 The birds were left, and during the day, when they were skinned, it was 

 found that in one of them was a perfect egg, ready for exclusion, and a 

 number of others in various stages of development, from which it is clear- 

 that the hen lays five or more eggs. The perfect egg was broken before its ' 

 presence was suspected. The other bird was more carefully treated, but 

 was found to be a male. My friend made preparations of both birds, put 

 them in spirits, and placed them in the Cardiff Museum. — Diqby S. W. 

 Nicholl (The Ham, Cowbridge, Glamorgan). 



A Morning at the Flight-nets. — A friend and I had long meditated 

 a visit to some flight-nets set in the Duddon estuary near Hodbarrow, 

 Cumberland. On Jan. 10th, before daybreak, we took the early morning 

 train for Millom, and, as soon as the tide was sufficiently low, set off along 

 the coast for the nets. Our walk was rendered pleasant by the bird-life to 

 be seen aud heard upon the gloomy salt-marshes. Many hundreds of wild 

 duck of various species could be observed, by far the most numerous this 

 year being Anas boschas, the " grey duck," as it is locally called ; we also 

 noticed several flights of Shelduck. The marshes resounded on all sides 

 with the tuneful note of the Redshank, and the somewhat mournful cry of 

 the Curlew. Darting about at the edge of the water were many " sea-pies " 

 (Hmmatopus). Unfortunately before we reached the nets a sea-mist came 

 on and hid for a time from view the number of birds swimming on the 

 estuary. In the mist a large bird flew past us, and some doubt existed 

 as to what it was ; the owner of the nets declared that it was " what we 

 call a gull, but the proper name is ' cockleyar.'" At length we reached the 

 nets. These were constructed of fine linen twine, a six-inch mesh being 

 employed, and were set loosely on stakes some seven or eight feet high, so 

 that when a bird strikes against them, in its struggles it quickly becomes 

 entangled : the finer the twine the greater is the chance of success. The 

 nets extend for from 80 to 100 yards. On this occasion not a single bird 

 was caught, and the snarer complained that he had never had so poor a 

 season. Although a man of no general intelligence, our guide, like many 

 of his class, was a keen observer of nature. On our return journey 

 he pointed out the small round holes made by the Wild Ducks in the sand 

 when it was covered by an inch or two of water ; these marks he called 

 "duck-hunts"; he readily distinguished them from the holes made by the 

 "flukes" or plaice when seeking food, although an uneducated eye could 

 perceive little or no difference. The nets are only set when there is no 

 moon : our guide referred to that period of the month as " the dark." In 

 previous seasons fair success had attended the labours of the uetter, to whom 

 all and every kind of bird seem welcome, except, perhaps, the small birds, 

 called by them "sea-mice" (T. alpina). Curlews locally fetch 2s., which 



