NOTES AND QUERIES. 153 



circumstances permitted plenty of the commoner kinds of wildfowl 

 were found for the guns ; on one occasion nearly five hundred head 

 were killed, including a large number of Mallard, over one hundred Teal, 

 one hundred and sixty-eight Coot, and many Wigeon ; of the latter 

 species a very large flock was seen upon the water, and good sport 

 was anticipated, but on the first shot the whole community soared to 

 a great height and made towards the sea, with their numbers some- 

 what thinned. Two or three immature Pintails and Shovelers — the 

 latter no doubt bred in the locality — were met with, and one old 

 well-marked Goosander was seen, as well as two or three "skeins" of 

 Wild Geese — from five to fifteen — but none were killed. A very rare 

 and interesting sight, for this neighbourhood, took place soon after 

 the shooting began ; upwards of forty Herons were on the wing at the 

 same time, and an old sportsman, of long experience, told me he had 

 never previously seen such a sight ; it speaks well for the favour 

 and preservation accorded to those much-persecuted but grand old 

 fishers. 



In August I saw an immature and rather prettily marked male of 

 the Montagu Harrier, killed somewhere, I believe, near Fording- 

 bridge. Its aspect was rather strange, as the "ruff" was well 

 developed on one side of its head, but on the other was almost 

 wanting, which gave the face a peculiar one-sided appearance. It 

 had the remains of a sand-lizard in its stomach, but the body was 

 thin and poorly nourished. About the same time I several times 

 heard that a Honey-Buzzard had been killed in the Valley of the 

 Avon, but I did not see it, neither could I trace its whereabouts, or 

 be certain of its correct identification. The Peregrine Falcon has 

 not put in an appearance so frequently as in previous years. I 

 have the record of one being seen, but not molested ; indeed, I am glad 

 to say I have not heard of one being killed for a considerable time. 



Jay and Wood-Pigeon. — This neighbourhood has been invaded 

 by both species ; the first intimation I had of the increase of Jays 

 was at the end of August or beginning of September, when a game- 

 keeper told me he had shot more within a few days than he had 

 previously seen for twelve months. Eventually the same tale of 

 slaughter came from various quarters, and if I may judge from the 

 number of Jay's wings I have seen in ladies' hats, the birds must 

 have been abundant. I know of one instance where three dozen 

 wings were sent at one time to a lady. Whence does the Jay 

 migrate ? as it is by no means the first time the wanderers have 

 come to us, and their visits seem somewhat irregular. The Wood- 

 Zool. 4th ser, vol. XV., April, 1911. N 



