NOTKS AND QUERIES. 75 



seen it accompanied by white nasal bristles, the rest of the plumage being 

 of the ordinary colour. The Goldfinch also has a white chin sometimes, 

 and is then called a "cheverel." Prof. Newton has some interesting 

 observations on the origin of the name (Yarrell's ' British Birds,' 4th ed., 

 vol.ii. p. 124) : he states that the extent of white varies greatly in different 

 examples which he has examined. " Cheverels" in confinement are stated 

 to breed " cheverels."— J. H. Gurney, Jun. (Northrepps, Norwich). 



Grey Phalaropes in Ireland. -The appearance of so many of these 

 birds near St. Leonard's last October, as noted in ' The Zoologist ' for 

 January (p. 28), leads me to mention that Mr. Rohu told me on Oct. 90th 

 last he had received a specimen from Mitchelstown, an inland locality ; and 

 on November 9th he mentioned that he had received another from Castle- 

 townsend, on the West coast of Cork. On November 18th I received a 

 Grey Phalarope from Mr. Higginbotham, Dungarvan Lighthouse. Two 

 others are doubtfully reported from Kingstown on October 3rd, not havnig 

 been obtained. I believe the capture of the Red-necked Phalarope in 

 Ireland has never yet been announced.- R. J. Usshkr (Cappagh, Co. 

 Waterford). 



Bittern in Norfolk.— I beg to correct an error which appeared in 

 ' The Zoologist ' for December last. Mr. Gunn, in his " Notes from Norfolk 

 and Suffolk/' says I killed a Bittern at Aylsham on January J 9th, 1885. 

 It occurred at Foulsham, about twelve miles west of this place. As the 

 visits of the Bittern are now unfortunately rare, it is well to be accurate 

 with such notes. Part of ray property in Aylsham lies in the valley watered 

 by a small tributary of the Bure, and I should not like to have destroyed a 

 Bittern so near the old breeding-grounds of the species, which if properly 

 protected would now adorn its marshy solitudes. The bird in question was 

 standing by the side of a pit near the middle of a grazing-ground, and 

 allowed°me and my son to approach within twenty-five yards. I did not 

 fire; it Hew slowly over the first fence, under which it alighted, and we 

 held a consultation about killing it. Being in a dangerous locality, and 

 I thought possibly wounded, I decided to shoot it.— R. J. W. Pordy 

 (Woodgate, Aylsham). 



Rare Birds in Ireland. — Tbe following occurrences may be worth 

 recording in ' The Zoologist.' Great Shearwater (Puffinus major), received 

 on August lath from Go. Sligo : the plumage being full of sand, and the 

 bird m'uch wasted, it had evidently been picked up dead on the sea shore. 

 Spotted Redshank {Totanas fuscus), received Sept. ^Tth, having been shot 

 near Sallins, Kildare : an immature bird of the year, its breast mottled 

 with grey. Great Snipe {Gallinago major), shot in the first week of 

 October by Major Hutchinson, of Rookville, near Drumsna, Co. Leitrnn : 

 this bird weighed eight ounces, and is the first genuine solitary snipe 



