NOTES AND QUERIES. 419 



to the hock, and being moved alternately. This I ascertained by catching 

 and tying the wings of an adult specimen the other day. I thought the 

 point worthy of investigation, as so few adult birds are plantigrade, though 

 I have found the young of Rollers (Coracias indica), Woodpeckers (Brachy- 

 pternus aurantius), and Barbets (Cyanops asiatica and Xantholcema hcemato- 

 cephala) to be so in the course of my investigations out here. Seebohm, I 

 believe, stated that the Guillemot and Razorbill walked on the tarsus, but 

 this is not, in my experience, invariably the case with the former, at all 

 events. — F. Finn (Indian Museum, Calcutta). 



Curious Variety of the Green Woodpecker. — My brother and I have 

 just seen, in the local birdstuffer's shop, what we consider a most curious 

 and handsome specimen of the Green Woodpecker (Gecinus viridis). The 

 bird was a pale greenish yellow colour all over the body. There was 

 a scanty amount of red over the head, and the " moustache " was hardly 

 noticeable. It was a female, and was shot this year near Bath. Knowing 

 that Woodpeckers are not generally subject to great variation, I hope this 

 note may prove interesting. — Charles B. Horsbrugh (4, Richmond 

 Hill, Bath). 



Demoiselle Crane on the Norfolk Coast. — A female specimen of 

 Grits virgo was shot at Brancaster, on the Norfolk coast, on July 31st, and 

 sent to Mr. Clarke, of Snettisham, for preservation, by whose courtesy I 

 had the pleasure of examining it. It had been feeding on the growing 

 corn, and was shot in a corn-field. Whether it was an escaped bird, or 

 whether it may be allowed to rank as an addition to the Norfolk list, I am 

 content to leave to those of your contributors who have for so many years 

 worked at the avifauna of the county to determine. — Julian G. Tuck 

 (Tostock Rectory, Bury St. Edmunds). 



Grey Plover in Summer Plumage in Yorks. — We have just received 

 (Aug. 19th) a female Grey Plover (Squatarola helvetica) for preservation, 

 which was shot by Mr. J. J. A. Riley on Midgley Moor, Yorks. We think 

 the appearance of this bird in summer plumage in this locality a somewhat 

 rare occurrence.— Rowland Ward (166, Piccadilly). 



Curlew (Numenius arquata) at Sea.— At 9 a.m. on Aug. 5th, at a 

 distance of about twenty miles from the south-west coast of Ireland, I 

 observed three Curlews flying at a height of about a hundred and fifty feet 

 above the sea. The birds held a south-westerly course, and came close to 

 the ship, which was not moving at the time ; they then altered the 

 direction of their flight, and disappeared to the south-east. The morning 

 was very bright and fine. I do not recollect to have seen these birds so 

 far out at sea before. — K. Hurlstone Jones (H.M.S. « Repulse,' Channel 

 Squadron). 



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