Birds. 2653 



addled. This spring I had an Antigua duck sitting on a little island in a pond at 

 Selborne, and in the course of the period of incubation no less than three eggs were 

 found floating in the pond, evidently removed from the nest by the duck, all of which 

 proved addled. This in reply to Mr. Kennaway's query (Zool. 2456). — Thomas 

 Bell; Selborne. 



Occurrence of the Little Auk (Alca Alle) at Weston-super-Mare. — A specimen of 

 the little auk was shot last winter at Weston-super-Mare, in this county, — surely far 

 south for such an ice-loving stranger. — W. D. Crotch; Taunton, Somerset, October 

 20, 1849. 



Great Strength and Courage in a Gannet. — " A servant of the Rev. F. I. C. Trenon, 

 rector of Langton, observed on the 23rd ult. an unusual commotion among the swans 

 in the Fleet, near Langton, which proved to be a battle between a gannet and two 

 full-grown male swans, the latter both attacking at the same time, and following up 

 the contest most vigorously with the former, who defended himself most resolutely for 

 a veiy long time, and ultimately defeated the swans, beating them both off, and laying 

 them prostrate, totally disabled, helpless, and seemingly seriously injured. The gan- 

 net, much exhausted by the protracted struggle, was easily caught alive, and very 

 little the worse for fighting." — ' Sherborne Journal.' 



Occurrence of the Gull-billed Tern (Sterna Anglica) in Norfolk. — A fine specimen 

 of the gull-billed tem was shot on the 31st of July, 1849, on Breydon, by Mr. Percy 

 Bellin. Length, from the end of the bill to the end of the tail, 15 inches ; bill 1 J inch 

 in length, from the end to the feathers on the head ; nape, forehead and crown jet 

 black ; feet black ; plumage above ash-gray ; tail not much forked ; breadth, from tip 

 to tip of the expanded wings, 3 feet. — John Smith ; Great Yarmouth, November 25, 

 1849. 



[Perhaps the same mentioned by Mr. Gurney, Zool. 2569. — E. N.~\ 



Occurrence of the Little Gull (Larus minutus) at Bridlington Quay. — Mr. Graham, 

 when at Bridlington, a short time back, procured a specimen of the young of the little 

 gull. It was shot near the town, about the 20th of October. It is now in the collec- 

 tion of the Hon. and Rev. S. Lawley. How little is known of the habitat of this ele- 

 gant little bird ! I cannot help thinking that it may turn out to be a southern 

 species. — Beverley R. Morris, A.B., M.D.; York, November 8, 1849. 



Occurrence of the Little Gull near Bridlington Quay. — A specimen of the little 

 gull was recently shot at Auburn House, near Bridlington Quay, by Mr. Jones, the 

 bird-preserver. It was hawking about in company with another. — F. 0. Morris; 

 Nafferton Vicarage, November 19, 1849. 



The Masked Gull (Larus capistratus) in the Mediterranean. — On looking over 

 some late numbers of the ' Zoologist,' I observed (Zool. 2457) some notes on the 

 masked gull in the Mediterranean, by the Rev. C. A. Bury, on which I would beg to 

 offer the following observations. I was at Gibraltar during the greater part of 

 February of this year, during which time the only gulls I saw there were the common 

 gull (Larus canus) and the black-headed gull (L. ridibundus) : the latter especially 

 attracted my attention, and passed often so close to me that I coidd not be mistaken 

 as to its identity, more especially as it is a bird with which I am perfectly familiar. 

 The number of this species appeared to increase about the beginning of March, at 

 which time the weather was pretty mild. I cannot positively assert that the masked 

 gull (L. capistratus) did not occur during the same period, but I certainly did not 

 VIII D 



