354 ORNITHOLOGY OF CORNWALL, 



which is generally supposed to be characteristic of immaturity ; 

 but this species undergoes a most remarkable series of, changes in 

 its plumage from its immature to the adult state. 



I am enabled to report the occurrence during the past year, of 

 "Sabine's G-uU" and the " Purple Heron" — the former obtained 

 in Mount's Bay, and the latter, a female in immature plumage, 

 from the neighbourhood of the Lizard, captured by a son of the 

 Rev. Vyvyan Eobinson, of Landewednack. 



Although we have passed through a winter of unusually long 

 duration and great severity, we have not been visited, in the usual 

 numbers and variety, by the large family of British Ducks Avhich 

 are wont to resort to the Land's End district when severe frosts in 

 the northern regions prevent their obtaining food, and thus drive 

 them to more southern climes. Amongst the rarer Ducks, the 

 " Shoveller" appears to have been more frequently met with than 

 any other of our winter visitants. 



It may be mentioned, as a curious instance of the economy of 

 nature in the distribution of certain birds without any apparent 

 cause, that our common Starlmg appears to be adopting the West 

 of England for its breeding and for its passing the summer 

 months. I have, during some years, heard of a few pair having 

 been seen at Trebartha in summer ; and recently I have received 

 reports of their gradual extension westward. Their usual mi- 

 gratory movements have been, as is well kno^vn, an advance every 

 autumn, in immense flocks, to our western counties, and a general 

 withdrawal towards spring. 



The " Eed-footed Hobby " which was killed some years since, 

 and another seen, at Wembury Cliffs, on the eastern shore of 

 Plymouth Sound, has come into my possession. That locality is 

 so near our county that I think we may fairly add this beautiful 

 Falcon to the Avifauna of Cornwall. I have also the fine speci- 

 men of the " Greenland Falcon " (a permanent variety, or race, of 

 the ler Falcon), which was caught on the grounds of Port Eliot 

 some years ago. 



