NOTES AND QUERIES. 35 
plumage. I picked it up on the same part of the sands where I have 
previously found several others, the tides affected by high northerly gales 
bringing the water-logged birds ashore. On October 20th, when in my 
shooting punt, I came across a Spotted Redshank on the Scurmore Strand, 
but, not distinguishing it in time from the Common Redshanks about, I 
lost my chance of shooting it before it made off—Robert WarREN (Moy- 
view, Ballina). 
Unusual site for a Sedge Warbler’s Nest.—A case of the Sedge 
Warbler, Acrocephalus phragmitis, building at a height from the ground 
came under my observation last June. The nest was supported between 
the stem and one or two boughs of a young larch in a plantation of the 
same trees, and was placed at between seven and eight feet from the 
ground, or about three-quarters up the tree. There were five eggs, which 
were hatched off safely—L. W. Wicieswortu (Castlethorpe, Bucks). 
Materials in Nest of Hooded Crow.—Although I often see mention 
of curious nesting-places, I do not think many observers send notes of 
strange materials used in the construction of nests. I have looked through 
‘The Zoologist’ for the last eleven years, and can only fiud a short note on 
this subject by Mr. Booth (Zool. 1887, p. 389), in which he describes the 
materials he has found in Cormorants’ nests—such odd things as “ children’s 
whips and spades, a gentleman’s light cane, and part of the handle of a 
parasol, all of which (he supposes) the birds had picked up floating at sea.” 
Let me tell you of a Hooded Crow’s nest which was built not far from here 
last year (1887), aid which was found to contain bits of blue china, glass, 
a few small stones, and a very old half-crown! Could the birds have 
appropriated a Magpie’s old nest, after first dismantling the outworks ? 
Or, do Hooded Crows occasionally follow the bad example of the J ackdaw 
of Rheims ?—Wixtiaw W. Fiemyne (Clonegam Rectory, Portlaw, County 
Waterford). 
A White Snipe.—A white Snipe was shot at Throphile, on this estate, 
in September. The colour is not dead-white, but a very pale grey, on 
which the dark bars and markings are visible. This bird is in the pos- 
session of Col. Osbaldeston Mitford. I send the dimensions in case this 
specimen may be a variety :—Length, bill to tail, ten inches, of which the 
bill is two inches and seven-tenths; tarsus, one inch and three-tenths.— 
E. L. Mirrorp (Mitford Hall, Morpeth). 
Ring Ouzel breeding in Orkney.—In the useful ‘ Manual of British 
Birds,’ by Mr. Howard Saunders, which Messrs. Gurney and Jackson are 
now publishing in parts, it is stated (p. 15) with regard to the Ring Ouzel, 
Turdus torquatus, that it breeds “ in the greater part of Scotland, including 
most of the islands which present suitable features, eacept the Orkneys and 
Shetlands, to which it is comparatively a rare visitor.” In former years I 
