CIIARADRI1D.E. 309 



composed exclusively of sand ox- ooze. A few pairs remain in the west of 

 England, to nest on such places as Liiudy Island, on Steart Island at the 

 mouth of the Bridgwater river, on the Scilly Isles, and on the Dorsetslurc 

 coast near Poole ; but the greater number go north, returning in large flocks 

 in the autumn. Early in August little parties consisting of old birds and 

 their broods, which have been reared perhaps at no great distance, make 

 their appearance at Instow, in Xorth Devon, and are then very tame, and 

 the young birds we hav^e found to be excellent for the table. In the 

 ■winter-time we have seen enormous flocks of Sea Pies off the Xortham 

 Burrows, but these great gatherings, comprising many hundreds, admit 

 of no approach. Their shrill, chattering cry can be heard at a great 

 distance. Col. Montagu has remarked that the Sea Pie never leaves the 

 coast, but had he travelled much in Scotland he would have found the 

 Sea Pie in the breeding-season not rare many miles inland, feeding in 

 meadows in company with Jackdaws and Hoodies, and nesting on the 

 pebbly margins of rivers and lochs. 



We have found the nest of this bird placed on the top of islands off 

 the Pembrokeshire coast among the fern, and, standing close to some 

 newly-hatched young ones, have had the two old birds flying low and 

 anxiously above our heads, when we greatly admired the handsomely 

 contrasted plumage of pure white and jetty black wilh the bright oiangc 

 bill and pink-coloured legs, effectively seen ag-iin>t a background of the 

 purest blue sky. 



At Plymouth Dr. E. Moore found the Sea Pie not uncommon near the aea-shore in 

 small flocks in winter (Trans. Plym. last. IS'M. p. ;j22). One was killed in 1854, and 

 two September 'Jlh, 185.J (B., MS. Notes). Nine were seen on May Kith, and se\eral 

 young birds on August '2dth, 187-"} ; nine were killed on the Breakwater, September 

 Stli ; and several in Dei-ember 187<i. Some occurred along the coast in Septeinhnr 

 1870 and in October 1881. Sea Pies were plentiful at tlie end of August 1882, when 

 a flock of tliirteen was seen on the Tamar. A curious variety, with a narrow wliito 

 streak running from the base of tiie under mandible down the throat, was killed in 

 December ls82 (.J. G.. Zool. 187.*^, pp. ^020, 3710; 1870, p. 5U45 ; 1877, p. 47 ; 1880, 

 p. 47 ; 1882, pp.'c.'), 4'>'.i ; 188.3, p. IC.H). 



" It is not very common on the coast near Kingshridge. Some undoubtedly hrccl 

 among.«t the rocks near Start Point some years ago, on tlie evidence of Mr. lloldswortli, 

 but the colony was entirely destroyed by some miscreant staying at the time at 'J'or- 

 oroas, who shot the whole lot. I have seen them a few times on the coast, but only 

 once in the estuary. A pair were killed at Thurlestoue in the autumn of 187('), and 

 two were Been at IJantham, August ."{Dth, 1S7'J. A bird kept alive at PlyM)outh made 

 an interesting pet, and was reuiarkably tame mul playfid '' [K. A. S. E., .MS. Notes). 



On the Exe a Sea Pio was killed in Se|)teudji-r 184.'), and one shot there in the 

 summer of 18.'»1 had a sharp- jtoinhd bill (F. VV. L. R., MS. Journ. ii. p. ir)2). Mr. W. 

 II. Beadon brf)ugiit us a female which he saw struck down and killed by a Cireat 

 Black-backed tlull on the mud-banks bclcw Topsham on February 24lh, IH;');.}. It liad 

 a v«ry large woutid in the side, and the (Juil iitlempted to carry it ofl' in its bill, but 

 dropped it after taking it nj) about twenty feet in liie air. Mr. Ross possessed a 

 Hpeeimen that was nearly all black, obtained in the spring of 18."),">. Two were shot in 

 August, and one with a white throat on September 41 h, lH~V>. We saw anulher 

 speeiuKMi wilh a white throat for sale in Exeter on October .""ith, ISSO. l'"our were 

 seen at Kxnioutli, September Htii, lMh(2 ; two or three occurred there in S(](lember IMS'.', 

 and several were obtniiied in September 18'.((). We saw one on the beach on .May 

 1.0th, and one was killed at the end ()( August 18'.)1. 



Mr. Cecil Smith wiw one in Torbay in August 187.">. Two were seen by us u(ar 

 Teignmouth, August 2.'ird, 1870. 



