ORNITHOLOGY OF CORNWALL. 53 



with the legs partially feathered, — these parts in the Black Grouse 

 being entirely so to the feet, whereas in the Pheasant they are 

 entirely naked. The late Mr. Rodd, of Trebartha Hall, ga,ve Sir 

 William Call a specimen with the middle tail feathers still more 

 produced. I have no doubt that my nephew, who has carefully 

 abstained from shooting any of the remaining birds, will be glad 

 to furnish your Institution with a specimen of this hybrid at a 

 future time. 



In the last week in November, several Black Eedstarts made 

 their appearance at Scilly ; they have been observed at diiferent 

 times in this neighbourhood frequenting our stone hedges — gener- 

 ally those near the sea. This species forms an exception to the 

 other Sylviadce in being a winter instead of summer migrant. 

 Bramble Finches, Stock Doves, and a Horned Grebe were also 

 observed at Scilly at the same time ; and to these must be added 

 another, but immature, specimen of the Surf Scoter, which is a 

 duck of very rare occurrence so far south, being almost entirely 

 confined to the arctic regions. It appears to possess a specific 

 character, not observable in the two other species of Scoter, in an 

 extension of the frontal feathers half an inch down the centre of 

 the ridge of the upper mandible. This is a useful help in determ- 

 ining this species before development of the remarkable and 

 brilliant colours of the bill in the adult bird. "A Fire-crested 

 Wren — a young bird — was captured at Scilly at the same time. 



The winter just passed has been unparalleled for mildness and 

 freedom from violent storms. This prevents my recording any 

 visits of our rarer Ducks, Wild Geese, Swans, &c. The only 

 waders of any interest which have fallen under my notice are the 

 Greenshank, in a state of plumage intermediate between that of 

 summer and Avinter, and two sjDecimens of the Eeeve (a term given 

 to the female of the Eufl^), — both specimens obtained from the 

 Land's End district, on the property of John Symons, Esq., of 

 Mayon House. They came to hand at the end of April. The 

 Greenshank belongs to the family of Sandpipers, and exhibits in 

 a very interesting form the connecting link between this genus 

 and that of the Godwits (Limosa), in the upturned tendency in 

 the shape of the bill^ showing in the Greenshank a deviation from 

 the cylindrical character of the bill in the Totani, or Sandpipers ; 

 this character developing itself more decidedly in the Godwits, 



