BIRDS CLAIMING TO BE ACCOUNTED BRITISH. 263 
whom is not known. Mr. Stevenson possesses a letter—or 
at least a copy of one—written in 1831 by Mr. Dawson 
Turner to Mr. Selby, in which he considers that a reference 
is made to this bird by the writer, who offers the loan of 
pictures of Norfolk-killed specimens of this and other rare 
birds. 
Thirdly. The Rev. F. O. Morris says that one was shot 
at New Hall by John Townend (B. B, IV., p. 115). No 
further particulars, 
Fourthly, An example, seen and shot at, on Romney 
Marsh by moonlight, about February, 1849 (Zool., 2419). 
If this was what it purports to have been, it may have been 
the same which the late Dr. Strong obtained a few months . 
afterwards at Thorney, ¢este Messrs. Forster and Little. 
Fifthly, Sir Wm. Jardine remarks that during the winter. 
of 1840 a “ White Heron” was, according to the newspapers, 
seen several times on the Solway (Nat. lib, Birds, III, 
p. 135), and it is conjectured that this may have been the 
example which was afterwards killed in Haddingtonshire. 
Sixthly, Mr. R. Gray has found in a copy of Baikie and 
Heddle’s “ Nat. Hist. of Orkney,” a MS. note made therein 
by one of the authors, which states that two were met with 
on the island of Damsay (Birds of W. Scotland, p. 277). 
Long admitted on sufferance, this fine species must now 
be considered as having been fully installed by Strickland 
and Macgillivray, but most of the other records must be 
taken cum grano satis, it being very likely where the bird 
has been only seen and not obtained to have been a 
Spoonbill or some other species. 
HARLEQUIN DUCK. 
. 
The Harlequin Duck is without doubt one of the very 
scarcest of our accidental visitants, yet of our leading Orni- 
thologists, one remarks that it has “been frequently cap- 
