290 BRITISH BIRDS. [vol vii. 



Great Bustard {Otis t. tarda). — ^A female Avas shot on 

 Feb. 4th, 1891, near Chippenham {Field, Feb. 28th, 1891). 



Little Bustard {Otis tetrax). — One was put up on Sept. 

 27th, 1897, between Roche Court and Over Wallop on Salis- 

 bury Plain {Salisbury Journal, Oct. 16th, 1897), and " one 

 was m.oved a fortnight since on Salisbury Plain, near Market 

 Lavington " {Field, Nov. 6th, 1897) — ^presumab]}^ the same 

 bird. Mr. James Flower, of Chilmark, has one killed 

 there about 1905 or 1906, and a male in summer -plumage 

 was shot at Avebury on April 26th, 1909 {W.A.d;N.H., 

 XXXVI., p. 143). 



Spotted Crake {Porzana porzana). — Mr. Ward has one 

 killed by telegraph wires at Cherhill in May, 1887, one was 

 killed in Marlborough on April 1st, 1890, and another on 

 Aug. 2nd, 1896, in a similar manner {3I.C.N.H.). 



Black Grouse {Lyrurus t. tetrix). — A Greyhen was killed 

 against Avire near Warminster on April 8th, 1906 {Field, 

 April 14th, 1906). The Hand-List of British Birds says 

 "some . . . Wilts," but on what authority I know not.* 



Quail {Coturnix c. coturnix). — Many 1893 {Field, Sept. 

 30th, Oct. 7th, and Nov. 18th, 1893). Nest witli ten eggs 

 at Aldbourne in June, 1907 {W.A. ds N.H., XXXV., 

 p. 318), eight in Sept. and Oct., 1909 {Bull. B.O.C.). Some 

 reported in autumn, 1913. 



The members of the Marlborough College Natural History 

 Society are doing excellent work in thek neighbourhood, 

 but it is a pity that rather more discrimination is not used 

 in inserting records in the report. I also wish that the com- 

 pilers of the report would enter dates in the usual manner : 

 their present system of using a number for each day of the 

 year (e.g. June 8th is entered as 159) is most objectionable, 

 and makes a mental calculation necessary before comparison 

 with other sources is possible. 



* See Savmders, Manual, 2nd ed., p. 493 ; we had no later 

 ■information. — Eds. 



