3832 Birds. 



elytra, and not far from the suture; femora with a strong tooth beneath, rather be- 

 yond the middle, and a smaller tooth between this and the apex. Length 3f lines 

 width 2\ lines. Hab. Australia. Probably Moreton Bay. — J. W. D. 



Occurrence of the Summer Duck (Dendronessa Sponsa, Swainson) in Sussex. — On 

 the 24th of December, 1851, I observed, whilst driving in a gig past a pond in West- 

 grinsted Park, near Horsham, Sussex, two ducks on the water ; and at once saw that 

 they were some species which I had never before met with. Having ascertained from 

 the owner of the property, that they were not turned out by him, I returned to the 

 spot with my gun. I found the birds still there, but very wary : I, however, by going 

 on my hands and knees some three or four hundred yards, succeeded in shooting one, 

 which turned out to be an adult male in most perfect plumage. The other escaped 

 for the time, but on the 27th of the same month was shot by a man of the name of 

 Downer, game-keeper to Sir C. M. Burrell, and sent to me. This was also an adult 

 male. The said keeper told me that they had been about the park for about three 

 weeks, but that he had never been able to get a shot at them, on account of their being 

 so wild. The bird I shot had an old gun-shot wound on one of the tarsi, from which 

 I pressed out a shot with my thumb • the bone appeared to have been broken, but to 

 have united and healed, thus showing that the bird must have been some considerable 

 time at large. The gizzard of each contained a few acorns, and a small quantity of 

 grass, with some minute particles of gravel and flint. They were exceedingly wild, 

 the plumage was quite perfect, and they had not the slightest appearance of ever 

 having been in confinement. — W. Borrer, jun. ; Cowfold, Sussex, February, 1853. 



Occurrence of the Glaucous Gull (Larus glaucus) in Sussex. — My friend the Rev. 

 R. N. Dennis, of East Blatchington, Seaford, Sussex, sends me word that about the 

 20th of December, 1852, a bird of this species, apparently commencing the plumage 

 of the third year, was brought to him alive, having been caught in that neighbour- 

 hood ; he was exceedingly savage, and severely bit the person who brought him. — Id. 



Occurrence of various Birds in Sussex. — On the same authority, I beg to record 

 the occurrence of the following visitors. A well-marked specimen of the ringed guil- 

 lemot (Uria lachrymans), was picked up dead, on the beach in Seaford Bay, in De- 

 cember, 1852 ; and about the same time several specimens of the puffin {Puffinus arc- 

 ticus) ; and on the 3rd of January, 1853, another puffin was picked up : this last was 

 in full plumage and quite fresh, the others being stale. How came the puffins on the 

 Sussex coast at this time of the year ? A specimen of the common thick-knee (CEdic- 

 nemus crepitans), was picked up alive, but in a dying state, on the 7th of this pre- 

 sent February ; this also is an unusually early occurrence : this bird not generally 

 appearing before the middle or latter end of April, and departing in the autumn. T 

 have, however, a specimen shot near Newhaven, Sussex, on November 5, 1845 ; so 

 that the bird possibly occasionally remains throughout the winter. — Id. 



Occurrence of the Little Auk near Edinburgh. — I beg to inform you that I shot a 

 specimen of the little auk {Mergulus Alle) near Cramond, on the Firth of Forth, about 

 four miles from Edinburgh, upon the 14th of February. — Robert H. Broughton; 21, 

 Imwrleith Row, Edinburgh, February 21, 1853. 



