412 Presidential address. 



in flocks of more than a hundred at a time, and were often seen 

 lying on their sides digging vigorously into the sand. My friend 

 Mr. George Bolain, of Berwick, informs me that later in the 

 season they were killed in numbers at Holy Island, where one 

 farmer commenced to shoot them off his corn-field, "for fear 

 they might he damaging it," and this fortunate gentleman actually 

 dined off Sand Grouse Pie. The dates of the appearances of the 

 Bothbury and Holy Island birds have been confirmed to me by 

 Mr. Bobt. Duncan, of Pilgrim Street, and Mr. A. Martin, of 

 Newcastle. Although they remained in this neighbourhood 

 throughout the summer none of them appear to have nested, 

 and as soon as August arrived they were shot down on all sides 

 and gradually disappeared. Some of them were however seen 

 near Goswick by Mr. Bobert Crossman, of Cheswick House, 

 about two months ago, and another a little further to the south. 

 This has led some people to expect that when summer comes 

 in they may again be found gathering together. 



Mr. Cullingford, of the Durham University Museum, received 

 Sand Grouse from Northumberland, Durham, Yorkshire, Lin- 

 colnshire, Warwickshire, Norfolk, and Suffolk, the first being a 

 female which came into his hands on May 25th. On dissection 

 the largest of the ovse was found to be no bigger than a pea, 

 nor was this exceeded in any other specimen received by Mr. 

 Cullingford. The first bird was moulting its secondary quill 

 feathers, and all those he received up to September were more 

 or less in the moult ; but when first through it, the feathers 

 have a lovely bloom upon them, which makes them look more 

 beautiful. The first bird weighed 10^ ounces, and Mr. Culling- 

 ford never had one that weighed more. Those killed in August 

 were poor and light, the heaviest being 9 ounces and the lightest 

 7£ ounces. After August and up to November they were in 

 much better condition, the heaviest weighing 10J ounces. But 

 these were not the only counties visited by the birds. They 

 were found all through Cambridgeshire and in parts of Essex. 

 They also visited Westmorland. 



Mr. 'William Cowlett, the naturalist, of Newmarket, tells me 

 that there is not the slightest doubt that they bred here. Many 



