NOTES FROM DEVON AND CORNWALL. 377 



of these noble birds should be thus destroyed. On August 9th 

 I observed the last Swifts for the season. 



On September 5th the birdstuffer at Stonehouse received an 

 Oystercatcher and Wryneck (a very uncommon bird in Devon 

 and Cornwall). I also saw a Quail at a poulterer's in Devonport ; 

 this was a male bird with the dark patch beneath the chin. On 

 the 12th I examined an adult Arctic Tern which had been killed 

 in the neighbourhood. A curious young Sparrow, in brownish 

 white plumage was sent to me by Mr. Clogg, of Looe, and about 

 the same time I observed in our garden a Sparrow showing a 

 white patcb on each wing, reminding one of a hen Chafi&nch. 

 On the 29th a Great Black-backed Gull, in moult, was killed in 

 the harbour. 



On October 3rd Eichardson's Skua was shot near Saltash, on 

 the River Tamar ; also a Storm Petrel and three Oystercatchers 

 near Plymouth. After a tremendous gale four or five Grey 

 Phalaropes and several more Storm Petrels were obtained. Most 

 of the latter were found dead inland ; one, however, which was 

 alive, but in an exhausted state, lived in a cage for nearly a 

 fortnight, being fed on minute scraps of fat, but I think would 

 have survived much longer on oil; it also drank freely when 

 water was offered. The food in one of the Phalaropes examined 

 consisted of the bodies and wings of some small brown beetles, 

 one valve of a very thin and minute marine shell, and many 

 fragments of decayed seaweed. A young Gannet, in the spotted 

 plumage of its first autumn, was also procured — the first I had 

 seen for many years in that state of plumage. About this date 

 I examined an adult Kittiwake, which possessed a very small but 

 perfect hind toe and claw — the first I had ever met with which 

 showed this peculiarity among the large number of specimens 

 I have hitherto closely examined. Although perfectly formed 

 this small toe and its claw measured only one-eighth of an inch 

 in length, being the same on both feet. A nice specimen of the 

 Great Snipe, Gallinago major, weighing seven and a half ounces, 

 was killed on Dartmoor by Mr. Charles Clark. On the 24th, 

 wind east, strong and cold, lots of both Arctic aud Common 

 Terns were seen in the harbour and along the coast — no doubt 

 driven in with the Phalaropes and Storm Petrels by the late 

 severe gales. On the 27th a variety of the Common Partridge 

 was brought to the birdstuffer. Its flight -feathers were pure 



ZOOLOeiST. — OCTOBER, 1887. 8 G 



