NOTES AND QUERIES. 69 



Bats in Winter. — It is not uncommon on mild sunny days in winter 

 to see the Pipistrelle, Vespertiiio pipistrellus, flying about during mid-day; 

 but until the 2nd January inst., in Surrey, I never saw one out with the 

 ground covered with snow and the thermometer at the time below freezing- 

 point. There was a bright sun shining at the time, about noon, and I only 

 saw the Bat fly round some three or four times. — L. H. Irby (Wadenhoe, 

 Oundle). 



Dormouse in a Woodpecker's Nest. — On the 25th June last I was 

 surprised to find a Dormouse's nest in an old Woodpecker's hole in an oak. 

 I had examined the hole not long before and found nothing in it, and when 

 I saw pieces of dry grass I thought a Starling had taken possession ; but 

 on my poking with a bit of wire the two Dormice came out and ran up the 

 trunk at a great pace. 1 often find their nests here in bushes, — F. H. 

 BiRLEV (Dorman's Land, East Grinstead). 



BIRDS. 



The Mediterranean Black-headed Gull on the Norfolk Coast.— Ou 

 the 26th December last an adult specimen of Larus melanocephulus, a male 

 by dissection, was shot on Breydon Harbour, near Yarmouth, and wus 

 brought to me about an hour afterwards. At first JI did notj recognise 

 the species, but its white wings, with only the outer primary edged 

 with black, its deep umber-brown legs and feet, and stout bill, con- 

 vinced me that I had a rarity. On consulting the fourth edition of 

 Yarrell's 'British Birds,' Mr. Howard Saunders' excellent description 

 (vol. iii. p. 605) showed me that the specimen in question was the ^Jediter- 

 ranean Black-headed Gull. It was examined in the flesh by Mr. J. H. 

 Gurney, jun., Mr. Thomas Southwell, and Major Feildeu. I believe that 

 this is the first proprely authenticated specimen which has been procured 

 ill Great Britain, and I am glad that such an addition to the British 

 Avifauna should have occurred in this county. — Geokge Smith (Great 

 Yarmouth). 



[This bird was exhibited by Mr Howard Saunders at a meeting of the 

 Zoological Society on ihe 18th Januaiy last. — Ed.] 



Lesser Redpoll nesting in Surrey. — On the 20th May, about two 

 mi'es from lieigate, I came across two pairs of Lesser Redpolls in a clump 

 of willows Tliey were much agitated, and soon betrayed the cause of their 

 distress by clustering to a nest which contained one egg. It was placed in 

 the fork of a willow about six feet fr^m the ground. I think ther are not 

 many recorded instances of these birds breeding in Surrey. — F. H. Birley 

 (Dorman's Land, East Grinstead). 



Variety of the Wild Duck. — On December 10th I shot a pretty 

 and curious variety of tlie Wild Duck, Anas boscas, from a pond in the 



