390 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
duck, was observed close to the same spot, but fortunately was not molested. 
Considering the late date in the season at which the drake was killed, I am 
in hopes that a young brood was already hatched out, in which case they 
would of course do well under the charge of the duck alone. Compared 
with a very fine adult male procured at Surlingham, Norfolk, on the 2nd of 
April, 1852, the Warwickshire specimen is a less conspicuous bird. It is, 
indeed, considerably advanced in its summer “eclipse” moult. The long 
graceful scapular feathers, with their sharply contrasted distinctive black 
and white markings, have been entirely lost, and most of the flank feathers, 
delicately vermiculated with black and white, are replaced with others of a 
dark brown colour, with paler edges. The white of the under parts below 
the lower breast is obscured by a wash of brownish buff, and the breast is 
less distinctly marked, a considerable number of new long-edged feathers 
having made their appearance in this portion of the plumage. No change of 
colour has taken place in the head and neck, but the feathers in those parts 
were rather loose. Two pairs, at least, of Great Crested Grebes were 
bieeding on the water at that time, two nests, containing one and three 
eggs respectively, having been discovered. One of these eggs is now in my 
possession. I consider these a little late, for on another pool I have known 
young Grebes one-third grown by that date; but, on the other hand, I have 
also known the young only just hatched by the middle of July. Four or five 
Black Terns frequented the reservoir for a few days about the 20th June; 
one which was shot is a young bird of the previous year. Some Common 
Terns were also observed about that time, also a large Gull. Coots were 
breeding in considerable numbers. Now, to avoid any misunderstanding, 
and perchance rebuke also, I may as well say at once that I had nothing 
whatever to do, either directly or indirectly, with the death of the birds here 
recorded. But, while greatly regretting and deprecating their destruction, 
I do not think that any good end would be served by withholding a record 
of their occurrence from other ornithologists. Since it appears from the last 
edition of ‘ Yarrell,’ and Mr. Howard Saunders’s ‘ Manual,’ now in course 
of publication, that Norfolk and Suffolk are the only counties in which the 
Garganey has been known to breed of late years (although it is believed 
to have done so formerly in Northumberland, and it visits Lincolnshire in 
April), the strong probability of this little duck having nested in South 
Warwickshire this summer is especially noteworthy. — O. V. ApLin 
(Bloxham, Banbury). 
Little Bittern in Sussex.— On the 31st October, 1888, a Little 
Bittern, Botaurus minutus, was taken, at about 7.30 a.m., on the Esplanade 
at Eastbourne, and lived some hours after capture. It is now in the pos- 
session of Mr. C. H. Simmons, of this town. Knox, in his ‘ Ornithological 
Rambles in Sussex,’ records the capture of an adult male at Pulborough.— 
Rosert Morais (67, Seaside Road, Hastbourne). 
a 
