878 Birds. 



for a considerable time. It then dived again, but appeared once more amongst the 

 flags, at first with its head only above the water. Being hunted by the terrier, it 

 dived a third time, and reappeared in the deep part of the water. I could observe it 

 all the while, and every motion. At first only the head and neck were raised above 

 the surface ; but shortly, it raised up the upper part of the body also, leaving all the 

 under portion of the body, and all but the head, neck, and just the top of the back and 

 tail, completely under the water, and in that state remained for a long period, and un- 

 til I disturbed it by sending the retriever in again after it. And its remaining in that 

 position was totally without the aid of any hold upon the flags or weeds ; for I could 

 distinctly see the feet gently moving in the water, to resist the current and keep the 

 bird stationary, and without, in the slightest degree, touching any weed whatever. 

 From this recent opportunity, as well as from personal observation for many years past, 

 I feel that the hypothetical strictures on my former observations, in no way alter or 

 disprove what I have before stated relative to the moorhen's foot not being the instru- 

 ment by which it is enabled to keep itself submerged, by means of the hold it has on 

 the weeds, as contended by your correspondent in a former number of this work (Zool. 

 498). And indeed few kinds of weed could, by any possibility, especially in winter, 

 when decayed, afford a sufficient power to counteract the resistance of the water, as he 

 asserts it does. — W. H. S. Hatton Hall, February 2, 1845. 



Occurrence of the Spoonbill at Frensham Pond. That interesting locality, Fren- 

 sham Pond, has added another specimen to the already extensive list of the Ornitho- 

 logy of our neighbourhood. On the 24th of October, an uncommon-looking bird was 

 noticed by the person who rents the pond, wading in the shallow water. He succeed- 

 ed in shooting it, and it proved to be the common spoonbill, a young bird of the year, 

 the crest being wanting. It is now in the possession of Mr. Mansell, and in beauti- 

 ful preservation. Frensham Pond and its immediate vicinity, presents the same gene- 

 ral aspect as in the days of White. The sterility of the soil renders it wholly unpro- 

 fitable for agricultural purposes, and it is at all seasons of the year an interesting spot 

 to the ornithologist. The popularity which Natural History has of late acquired, and 

 the increase of those who turn their attention to it, subjects Frensham Pond to a more 

 careful investigation than formerly, the occupier being certain of a remuneration, 

 should he succeed in capturing a rara avis ; as a natural result, several species have 

 been added to the list. — ./. Lewcock ; Farnham, Nov. 12, 1844. 



Note on Ducks tire, nestling in Trees. I believe the circumstance of ducks and 

 other water birds hatching their young in trees, is by no means of uncommon occur- 

 rence ; and I am inclined to think that little care is exercised in the selection of boughs 

 overhanging the water. We find in Linneus's 'Lapland Tour,' a passage very decid- 

 edly bearing on the subject. " A little further on a couple of young owls were sus- 

 pended on a tree. On my inquiring what these birds had done to be so served, the 

 rower made me remark, on the most lofty of the fir-trees, concave cylinders of wood, 

 closed at top and bottom, and having an aperture on one side. These cylinders are 

 placed on the highest part of the trees, in order to tempt wild ducks to lay their eggs 

 in them, and they are afterwards plundered by the country-people. In one of these 

 nests a brood of young owls had been hatched, instead of young ducks." * This 

 seems to imply that in Lapland at least ducks select such situations for nesting in pre- 



Lachcsis Lapponica, i. 93. 



