22 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



with all deference, that it does nothing of the kind, as any one can see who 

 will take the trouble to refer to page 451 of vol. i. of the fourth edition of 

 that justly-famed work. So far as I personally am concerned, the matter 

 ends here, though I may add that I strongly object to being misrepresented, 

 and that I presume Mr. Mitchell would not have penned his note to ' The 

 Zoologist ' in the first instance, unless he too had studied the writings 

 of ornithologists, on the specific point at issue to the same intent as myself. 

 — H. S. Davenpokt (The Cedars, Skeffington, Leicester). 



The Jay : Extension of Range in Ireland. — There were two Jays 

 here for some months last spring. I never heard of a Jay in Louth before, 

 I also saw a Jay at Glenstal, in Co. Limerick, in November. None had 

 been seen there for many years, and these occurrences make me think that 

 the Jay may be extending its range in Ireland like the Squirrel. I should 

 be glad to know whether any of your readers can corroborate this view. 

 The Squirrel is spreading very fast indeed. — G. H. Pentland (Black Hall, 

 Drogheda). 



Quails in England in Winter. — In ' The Zoologist ' for October last, a 

 correspondent in the Isle of Wight reported seeing a Quail near Shanklin, 

 early in that month, and enquired whether that bird is often met with 

 here so late in the season. It may be of interest, therefore, considering 

 the proximity of the locality in which I reside to the Isle of Wight, to 

 state that two of these birds, at least, have been obtained here as late in 

 the season as December ; one in 1892, and the other on Dec. 12th, 1893 

 —Alec Goldney Headley (Porchester, Hants). 



The Soaring of Gulls. — Although Gulls cannot be regarded as 

 typically soaring birds, they may be seen performing this phenomenon of 

 flight, and sometimes under conditions which would appear to render the 

 performance impossible to any but distinctly soaring birds. On Dec. 21st 

 I observed a number of Gulls soaring at a great elevation for seventeen 

 minutes, during which I failed to perceive the slightest movement of the 

 wings. The birds (three immature examples of Larus argentatus, or 

 L.fuscus) commenced soaring over a sloping cliff and gradually rose, at the 

 same time extending seawards, until they appeared the merest specks, and 

 were at last lost to view. The wind was a strong one, coming in straight 

 from the sea. According to the views of Dr. Airy and Lord Rayleigh 

 (' Nature,' xxvii. pp. 590-2, 534-5, as well as those expressed in Professor 

 Newton's ' Dictionary of Birds,' p. 271, where will be found some admirable 

 comments on this subject by Professor Boy), there is nothing remarkable 

 in Gulls soaring over sloping ground facing a strong wind ; but it is by no 

 means easy to understand how these birds were enabled to prolong their 

 soaring at great heights, and over the open sea. — W. C. J. Ruskin Butteu- 

 field (St. Leonards-ou-Sea). 



