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ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES 

 FROM N.E. LINCOLNSHIRE AND HOLDERNESS. 



JOHN CORDEAUX, M.B.O.U., 

 Great Cotes, Ulceby, Lincolnshire. 



Pochard (Fuligula ferina). On the lake at Croxby I saw, on 

 January 26th, about one hundred Wild Duck (Anas boschas) and 

 twelve Pochard swimming in somewhat close order. All these 

 were males, nine of them in full plumage, and three young males 

 of the previous summer in transition. There was not a single 

 female Pochard anywhere visible on the water. 



Ruff (Machetes pugnax). One was shot at Hollym near Withern- 

 sea, about January 20th, and taken to Mr. Philip Loten, of 

 Easington. This makes the second obtained in Holderness 

 during the winter of 1888-9. 



Common Sheldrake (Tadorna cornuta). Mr. Haigh informs me 

 that a flock of about two hundred have for some weeks lately 

 frequented the coast near Grainthorpe Haven. 



Snipe (Gallinago ccelestis). February 12th. A white Snipe has been 

 seen lately in this parish, once at very close quarters, when 

 feeding on the narrow belt of ooze on the side of a drain. 



Snow- Bunting" (Plectrophanes ?iivalis). Some small flocks on the 

 coast in March, continuing to the middle of the month. The 

 contrasting black and white of the plumage makes them now 

 very conspicuous in their short flights along the shore. 



Bittern (Botaurus stellaris). On Tuesday, March 19th, one was 

 surprised and taken alive as it attempted to rise from a reedy 

 drain in Humberstone Marshes, by Mr. S. D. Newton, of 

 Grimsby. It was kept in captivity until the Saturday, when it 

 escaped, and on the following Tuesday was recaptured by two 

 Ordnance surveyors in the Cemetery at Cleethorpes, making no 

 efforts to escape at the time. Another is recorded in 'The Field' 

 for March 16th, as lately shot on Broomfleet Island on the 

 Humber. 



Sand-Grouse (Syrrhaptes paradoxus). In the last week in February 

 a flock numbering about one hundred was seen in the parish of 

 Summercotes, on the coast, and I am told that, notwithstanding 

 the ' Sand-Grouse Protection Act,' two were shot. 



Scaup (Fuligula marila). A considerable flock off the coast in this 

 parish, apparently equally males and females. 



May 1889. 1 



