Birds. 3055 



appeared, and nearly met on the front of the neck : the bird measured thirty-one 

 inches. 



Gray Phalarope ; shot December 16th, at Glanville's Wootton, near Sherborne : 

 this bird is often a numerous winter visitor. I mention it merely as being an inland 

 occurrence. 



Blackthroated Diver; shot in Weymouth Bay, December 24th. This bird has the 

 mature plumage, with the exception of the throat, in which the black ring is just ap- 

 pearing : this is the first of the species that has passed through Mr. Rolls' hands, and 

 he has been in business fifteen years. 



The Kittiwake, both old and young, are very numerous here in the winter, and 

 although they breed in the Isle of Wight, they are never seen here in the summer. 

 The young birds are called pigeon-gulls, and the old, blue- backs. A specimen of the 

 laughing gull (Larus atricilla), of Yarrell and Pennant, was shot here last winter and 

 sold for one shilling : I heard of it by chance. A gunner here was telling me of his 

 gunning feats, and said, last winter he killed nine gulls at a shot. They were feed- 

 ing in Lodmoor Marsh, and he approached them under cover of a hedge ; when on 

 showing himself, they flew up, and he killed nine. He stated eight were alike, but 

 the ninth had a bill and legs the colour of red sealing-wax, and a beautiful pink 

 breast and belly. A gentlemen met him and gave a shilling for the bird, and would 

 have given half-a-crovvn had it been shot clean. 



The Redbreasted Merganser (Mergus serrator), male and female : they are very 

 plentiful in the bay, and are called here mullett-hunters. 



•The Puffin (Alca arctica). A solitary individual was caught under the rocks, at 

 Portland, on the 19th of January ; it was very emaciated and the colours very dull: 

 it was probably either a wounded bird, or had been driven over by the long-continued 

 and heavy gales from the south and west. This is worth recording, although it is 

 pretty clear it was not a willing visitor. 



The Green Sandpiper (Totanus ochropus). A specimen was killed and brought to 

 be stuffed. 



Little Auk (Alca Alle). A single specimen was caught alive on the Smallmouth 

 Sands, January 31st. 



We have had two or three small flocks of Gannets ; and I have seen two or three 

 Skuas : they are called here sea-hens. 



The late rough weather has starved the poor Kittiwakes ; they can stand cold 

 weather, but not thick water ; the latter prevents them fishing. The birds fly within 

 a yard or two, and many are knocked down with stones. They do not appear to feed 

 inland, like the blackheaded gulls ; depending solely on small fish and other things 

 swimming under the surface : they suffer much more than the blackheaded. They 

 feed a great deal on what the tide washes out of the harbour, hovering just over the 

 eddy. One that I examined had eaten the liver of a skate, which filled its crop and 

 throat and was hanging out of its beak. — William Thompson ; Weymouth, February 5, 

 1851. 



Variety of the Cole Titmouse (Parus ater) and Notes on some other Birds. — I this 

 morning observed, for a considerable time, in Sutton Park, a beautiful variety of the 

 cole tit. The white mark on the nape of the neck was continued in a broad and well- 

 defined line, over the crown of the head to the upper mandible. Owing to the ex- 

 treme mildness of the season, winter visitants are unusually scarce. On the large 

 pools in this neighbourhood I have seen nothing but mallard, widgeon and teal, and 



