302 MISCELLANEA. 



Spoonbill at Holy Island. — On 22nd May, 1904, I saw a 

 large bird flying round and round at a great height overhead, 

 which two days later I identified as a Spoonbill. It was then 

 watched for an hour or two, both morning and afternoon, at 

 fairly close range, standing on the bank of the fresh-water 

 pool near Emmanuel Head. The other birds round the pool, 

 duck, coot, gulls, but especially the Lesser Black-backed Gull, 

 treated the Spoonbill as an intruder, and drove it away if it 

 ever came near them. It was very shy, and got up as soon 

 as I emerged from cover, though on the other side of the pool 

 and two hundred yards away. On June 4th, being again at 

 Holy Island, I found the bird still frequenting the pool. — 

 T. E. Hodgkin. 



The Spoonbill remained at Holy Island for a few days after 

 the last date mentioned by Mr. Hodgkin. Its presence had 

 then become generally known, and attempts were made to 

 shoot it, but whether it was finally shot or driven away I have 

 not been able to ascertain. It is interesting to note that the 

 only occurrence of the Spoonbill in these counties recorded by 

 John Hancock is that of an example in his collection killed at 

 Holy Island in 1857.—^. L. Gill 



Spotted Redshank at Crainlington. — An example of this 

 rare bird was shot at Cramlington on September loth, 1904, 

 by Mr. A. M. Morison, of Cramlington House, and was pre- 

 sented by him to the museum. In John Hancock's catalogue 

 only five local records are given for this species. Some 

 interesting notes on the occurrence, kindly furnished me by 

 Mr. Morison, are appended. Mr. Morison has also lately 

 added to the museum collections two Reeves {Machetes 

 pvgnax, female) and a Greenshank. — E. L. Gill. 



The first I saw of the Spotted Redshank was on Friday 

 morning, when there was another feeding in company with it. 

 The same afternoon I watched the bird for some time, and 

 seeing it was rather dark in colour for a Common Redshank, 

 I disturbed it. It uttered its note while on the wing, the note 

 being very much like that of the Common Redshank, but with 



