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THE ZOOLOGIST. 



THIRD SERIES. 



Vol. XII.] JULY, 1888. [No. J 39. 



FIELD NOTES FROM NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE IN 

 THE SPRING OF 1888. 



By John Cordeaux. 



March 12th. — A young dark-faced Puffin, with a small beak, 

 was shown me to-day ; it was taken in the surf at Cleethorpes, 

 and the man had it in a basket alive. 



March 28th. — Flocks of Lapwing and Golden Plover in the 

 marshes ; a few Pied Wagtails about, and many pairs of Meadow 

 Pipits; about a thousand Dunlin on the foreshore. A large 

 hawk, apparently a Peregrine, was feeding on a Stock Dove in a 

 field near the Humber ; one half the breast was eaten. On going 

 to the spot the story of the tragedy was made clear : the Dove 

 had been struck in full flight a considerable distance from where 

 it fell, slayer and slain hurled forward together in the hurricane - 

 rush of the fatal stoop, till both had come to the ground. Two 

 long, narrow, and convei'ging lines of small feathers, ripped from 

 the shoulders and neck, led up to the body ; the head also was 

 torn from the neck, and some distance apart, severed by the same 

 impact of that terrible hind claw. 



April 12th. — Strolling down the "beck" this afternoon I 

 flushed a Green Sandpiper. Saw a Snipe and Water Rail. In a 

 willow-carr were numerous Eeed Buntings ; one fine old male 

 struck me as unusually light-coloured and a distinct variety. 



April 14th. — First Swallow seen, and several between this 

 and the 18th. 



ZOOLOGIST. — JULY, 1888. U 



