Birds, fyc. 2803 



[I have registered a number of facts, tending to prove that birds prefer meeting 

 the wind, on all occasions. — E. NJ]. 



Occurrence of the Ferruginous Duck (Anas ferruginea) near Great Yarmouth. — As 

 it is considered rather a rare bird in this neighbourhood, at this time of year especially, 

 I am induced to communicate to you, that on the 16th of April, 1850, a fine male 

 specimen of the ferruginous duck was shot by a friend of mine, in a marsh adjoining 

 the Meer. — Robert Rising ; Horsey, near Great Yarmouth, April 17, 1850. 



Occurrence of the Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps ruficollis) near Penzance. — I have 

 just examined a specimen of this bird, which has been brought for preservation to Mr. 

 Vingoe ; the red feathers in the neck are not yet apparent, but on turning back the 

 neck-feathers an active moult was apparent, all the young feathers emerging being 

 bright red, with those on the tip of the head black. — Edward Hearle Rodd; Penzance, 

 April 8, 1850. 



Occurrence of the Black-throated Diver (Colymbus septentrionalis) in Lincoln- 

 shire. — A fine specimen of the black-throated diver was shot on Frillingham Pond, 

 near Lincoln, on the 24th of January last. — H. Matthews; Waddington April 

 22, 1850. 



Occurrence of the Black Tern (Sterna fissipes) at Balmer. — A specimen of the 

 black tern was shot at Balmer, a village four or five miles to the west of Lewes, on the 

 9th of April, and is now in the possession of Mrs. Robert Hillman, of this town : this 

 bird was seen hawking over the surface of a fresh-water pond for more than an hour 

 before it was shot. — Charles Potter; Lewes, April 16, 1850. 



Occurrence of the Black Tern (Sterna fissipes) in Adult Summer Plumage in Mount's 

 Bag. — ■ A specimen of this bird I have just seen in its full black plumage : in that 

 state it is of rare occurrence here, and as such, it may be worth recording. — Edward 

 Hearle Rodd ; Penzance, April 8, 1850. 



Occurrence of tfie Fork-tailed Petrel (Thalassidroma Leachii) near London. — A 

 fine specimen was caught alive, but very much exhausted, on the 4th of January, 

 1850, by a man at work on the high road between Edgeware and Stanmore. — F. Bond; 

 Kingsbury, Apil 9, 1850. 



The Great Sea-Serpent again. — Ever since Professor Owen attempted to confound 

 this leviathian with the seals, on which he probably feeds, taking in whole shoals of 

 them at a mouthful, and draining off the water with his seaserpentbone apparatus, in 

 the manner of a whale filling his stomach with Medusae and shrimps : ever since the 

 promulgation of this humiliating hypothesis, the great sea-serpent has felt himself 

 snubbed and has doggedly kept in deep water, pertinaciously resolved, no doubt, to 

 withhold himself in future from the incredulous malevolence of man. But he has re- 

 lented : the recurrence of St. Valentine has warmed his heart : he has once more risen 

 to the surface, and has wisely concluded to shun the disparaging Britishers, and to 

 select, as of yore, for the scene of his auto-exhibition, the shores of a nation, at 

 once the smartest and most credulous on earth. The papers of the United States are 

 fraught with intelligence respecting him ; cannon have been discharged, and re- 

 ports says that he is actually ashore. My first extract is from a religious newspaper, 

 entitled the ' Christian Mercury ' : — " The following letter from a gentleman of Beau- 

 fort gives exciting news of what may, by this time, be the ' seat of war.' The old 



