Ornithological Noted. By George Bolam. 259 



Leach's Petrel, Cymochorea leucorrhoa (Vieillot). 

 One was obtained cm 3rd December, 1885, at Branxton, in Northumber- 

 land, immediately prior to some cold stormy weather ; and another was 

 shot at Swalwell on the Tyne during the severe snowstorm of 1st March of 

 the present year. This species seems to be of almost as frequent occurrence 

 with us as the Stormy Petrel. 



Glossy Ibis, Plegadis falcinellus (Limnvaus). 



A bird of this species was shot near the mill pond at Mindrum, in the 

 parish of Carham, Northumberland, on 25th August, 1885, and is now in 

 the possession of Mr Borthwick, the tenant of the farm. 



It was entrusted to Mr Brotherston of Kelso for preservation, and in 

 his shop I had an opportunity of examining it shortly after it had been set 

 up ; on dissection it proved to be a male. It is in the "glossy" stage of 

 plumage, being the intermediate state between the so-called Green Ibis or 

 first plumage, and the Bay Ibis or mature bird, but still retains about the 

 head and neck a good deal of the greyish white spotting of the early dress ■ 



The Ibis is a very rare bird, and has only once previously been obtained 

 in the district ; that being the instance mentioned by Selby when a speci- 

 men was killed on the banks of the Coquet, and was preserved in his 

 collection. 



King Duck, Somateria spectabilis (Linnctus). 

 For the last two or three years a male bird of this species has visited the 

 Fame Islands in May, and has remained till about the middle of June, when 

 it has disappeared. On the occasion of the Club's visit to the Islands on 

 25th June, 1884, we were informed by the boatmen that they had seen the 

 bird only a week or ten days previously. Last year a drake appeared 

 towards the end of April, and was frequently seen by the fishermen up till 

 about the end of May, when it was shot by one of the keepers and came 

 into the possession of a Mr Chase of Birmingham. In some years the 

 fishermen believe that they have seen more than one bird, and a year or 

 two ago a duck was reported to have accompanied the drake. 



Turtle Dove, Twrtur communis (Selby). 



This bird seems to be extending its range northwards, and to be on the 

 increase as a summer visitor to our district : possibly in the course of a few 

 years we may find it following in the steps of its cousin the Stockdove, 

 and becoming finally established in the Border counties. 



In 188-4 a pair took up their abode in the young fir plantations at 

 Scremorston, and were no doubt nesting there, when about the end of June 

 the male bird was unfortunately killed, and the female soon afterwarda also 

 disappeared. I saw the male shortly afterwards in the hands of its captor, 

 and it had all the appearances of a breeding bird. 



Towards the end of September 1884, one was seen in a field of peas ueur 

 Lesbury, Northumberland, feeding with a flock of Wood Pigeons ; and on 

 t>th June, 1885, another single bird was observed near Sansou seal, about 

 two miles west of Berwick- Other Instances have occurred. 



