454 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
flying about and dipping in the water a short distance from the Sheldrake.— 
F, W. Lampert (17, Woodstock Road, Oxford). 
Spotted Redshanks near Harwich.—We have had quite a flight of 
these birds in this neighbourhood; several frequented a piece of bentlings 
at the mouth of the River Orwell, and a female specimen was shot on the 
4th September. I had previously shot one in the same place on the 1éth 
August, 1885. Their call is quite different from that of the Common 
Redshank, and may be distinguished some distance off, when, if fairly 
imitated, the bird will fly towards you.—F. Kerry (Harwich). 
Woodcock carrying its Young.—In ‘ The Zoologist’ for 1879 there 
is an article by the Editor on the mode in which Woodcocks carry their 
young. It appears that they have been observed to transport them in at 
least three different ways :—(1) pressed to the body by their legs, (2) pressed 
between their legs, and (3) grasped in their feet, authority for each of these 
methods being quoted, and the third mode illustrated by an excellent 
sketch by J. Wolf. As I understand that some doubt has been expressed 
whether a Woodcock is able to grasp anything in the feet as described and 
depicted, it may be of interest to say that J can confirm the statement from 
personal observation. In the last week of May, or beginning of June last, 
T was beating an alder clump for moths in the early part of the day, when 
my attention was arrested by the low cheeping note of a young bird, and 
on looking up I was astonished to see that it came from a nestling wood- 
cock, dangling from the lowered legs of its parent, and evidently grasped by 
the old bird's feet as the latter flew slowly away into a neighbouring 
plantation. It was not ten yards from me when I first saw it, and the 
scene I witnessed at once recalled the illustration above referred to, which 
I had seen years ago in ‘ The Zoologist.—H. Caicuester Harr (Carra- 
blagh, Croaghross, Co. Donegal). 
Crossbills in the Co. Waterford.—Crossbills were seen about my 
plantations here on the following dates :—July 12th, a flock seen on the 
wing; twenty, counted, formed but partof it. July 20th, twenty feeding 
on Scotch firs, on the top of the Black Hill. July 2lst, three seen. 
August 17th, a flock flying high over the stable-yard; followed to the 
plantations, and found feeding there. Aug. 28th, sixteen seen on the wing 
on the Black Hill. October 7th, three (one of them a red bird) seen by 
myself on asilver fir. Oct. 23rd, a flock of nineteen near the Giants’ 
Rock. Oct. 26th, I saw two in the top of an ash tree, one singing; 
recognised by the song, which was louder than that heard on Feb. 11th, 
and saw the peculiar beaks, and heard the cry of both birds as they flew 
away. From these and similar observations of my friend Mr. Allan Ellison, 
in the north of this county, near Clonmel, on June 10th, as well as in 
Co. Wicklow during the past few months, it appears to be certain that the 
