7172 Birds, S^c. 



such accidental cases as tlie above. After the unusual nun)her of these birds that 

 appeared in this district during; the winter and spring of 1859-60, being met with as 

 late as the middle of April, the wonder is rather that several nests have not been taken 

 than that one solitary nestling should attest the probability of many more un- 

 discovered. — H. Stevenson i Norwich, August 16, 1860. 



Snipes in Summer. — On the 9th of tbis month a friend of mine was sent to me 

 to say there were hundreds of snipes on the moors: these so-called "Moors" are a 

 long, low, marshy tract below Bridgwater, and, from this dull wet season, have been 

 pretty well covered with water. My friend and an acquaintance went, and lo and 

 behold ! there were hundreds of snipes ; and ihey were lold that if they had been there 

 a day before they might have seen many more : however, as it was, notwithstanding the 

 difficulty of getting about, from the quantity of water, they did pretty well. The two 

 gentlemen killed seven brace, which were in capital condition. Now the question is, 

 From whence came these snipes— the veritable Scolopax gallinago.? They were evi- 

 dently migrating somewhere, as they stopped so short a time. The record of their 

 appearance at other places would be interesting, to shew their line of route; we might 

 then possibly see to where they were bound. — Edward Parfilt ; Museum, Taunton, 

 August 20, 1860. 



Great Flocks of Scoters in July. — I was at the mouth of the Ribble on the 7th of 

 July, and, to my great astonishment, saw several very large flocks of scoters; in all 

 there must have been over a thousand. They were exceedinf^ly shy, and would 

 hardly let the yacht come within two or three hundred yards. There were amongst 

 them several velvet ducks, easily distinguished by their size and the white on their 

 wings. Where could all these birds have bred, so as to be here so early. There are 

 always a few to be seen almost all throuj^h the year, but I never recollect seeing such 

 large flocks so early. I shot one bird, evidently a young one, but whether it was a 

 common scoter or velvet duck I could not decide. The beak was very broad and 

 black, and all the plumage black, except the neck and the lower part of the head, 

 which was dusky brown. — E. C.Buxton; Dareshury Hall, Warrington, August 4, 

 1860. 



Abundance of the Common Lizard (Zootoca vivipara) in Ireland. — If you 

 consider the following fact worthy a place in the 'Zoologist' it is much at your 

 service: it is interesting as opposed to the opinion of naturalists and others, that 

 reptiles do not inhabit Ireland. In the month of June last the common lizard 

 {Zootoca vivipara) was to be found in vast nuujbers everywhere in the county of Down. 

 They were most varied both in size and colour ; in size varying from one inch to four 

 inches in length, and in colour from pale fawn to jet-black. What renders this 

 circumstance more remarkable is that they never occurred here before, excepting a 

 single individual at a time, and those at long intervals. — F. Bewley, Clerk; Laurence- 

 town, Co. Down, July 25, 1860. 



