NOTKS AND QlUilillCS. UH 



it wafl boliovod that Solans hatchod Llioro, hut no correct evidence 

 coulfl ho ^'athcrnd now an tho nion aro dead who hvcd thoro 

 then." Ahout HJO? or IDOH a pair of Solans lived ahout tlio cliffs for 

 a short time during tho nesting season, and a fisherman (passing 

 there) told my correspondent ho believed Ihoy wore building. But 

 nothing came of it, as no egg or young was seen. In fact, the birds 

 disappeared before they had lime to bring out a young one. My 

 original informant is only alile to repeat that it was stated at the 

 time that one pair were nesting in 1911, though he does not seem 

 cleai- as to whether it was on Copinsay or the Horse of Copinsay. 

 He adds that it would have been very unlikely if the pair had got off 

 its egg, as Copinsay is the only place in Orkney where the eggs of 

 sea-birds aro taken in large quantities. Hero I must leave it; but it 

 seems probable that about that year, at all events, a pair of Gannets 

 contemplated nesting there, if they did not actually do so. — O. V. 



APlilN. 



Snowy Owl in Bucks. — Intending to give the bird three or four 



weeks' law before making its presence known, I have inadvertently 



neglected to publish the occurrence for as many years. As, 



however, a visit from the species is rare throughout England, 



and unique so far as this county (Bucks) is concerned, a record of 



the fact is better late tban never. On the afternoon of July 31st, 



1912, while excavating a large and prolific Eomano-British " Villa " 



on Yewden Manor in this parish (Hambleden), on Lord Hambleden's 



Greonlands estate, upwards of 400 yards north of Hambleden lock 



on tho Thames, I ovei'heard one of the labourers calling his mate's 



attention to a large white Owl sitting in one of a row of sycamore 



trees in the hedge dividing the field we were -working in from the 



road running northwards. Hardly had he spoken, before, with 



characteristic plunge, followed by throw-up into the air, a Snowy 



Owl flew out, and came in our direction. As it approached it began 



to croak hoarsely (well described by Dresser, ' Manual of Pal. 



Birds,' as "a loud krati-krau "), and presently wavering in its 



choice of direction, it "trod air," and then turned round; but 



shortly deciding on its old course, it once more turned round, and 



again proceeded westwards, passing me at a distance I estimated 



at less than 80 yards. It continued to fly straight in that direction 



until I lost sight of it over and behind a group of large trees 



surrounding a pond knowm as " The Baths," which I believe to be 



of Roman origin or development, a quarter of a mile from the spot 



where I was standing. It was also seen by my overseer. Dr. 



Zool. ith ser., vol. XX., August, 1916. bb 



