Birds. 1501 



rail, and allowed to go a considerable distance. Unfortunately, the specimen did not 

 reach me for five days afterwards, when it was of course, " far gone." It appears to be 

 a male bird, and was moulting, which will probably account for the fourth wing-fea- 

 ther being the longest. Yarrell, says the tail consists of twelve feathers, and that two 

 of the toes are united for a short distance ; in this specimen they are divided to the ori- 

 gin, and the tail, now consists of thirteen feathers ; some grains of shot passed through 

 these, and probably cut away another feather. I have preserved the skin. — Robert 

 Davis, Jun. ; Clonmel. 



Note on the sound produced by the Common Snipe. — Two of your correspondents 

 (Zool. 1192 & 1372) have called in question Mr. Bree's assertion, that the sound pro- 

 duced by the common snipe is sometimes emitted whilst the bird is on the ground. 

 This noise has been described by various writers under the somewhat opposite names 

 of " drumming," "humming," " bleating," and "whorring." I do not mean in any 

 manner to dispute Mr. Atkinson's assertion as to the powers of ventriloquism possessed 

 by birds, but the fact is, that the snipe produces two distinct sounds ; the one, which 

 as Mr. Atkinson observes, much resembles the buzzing of a large bee, I have only 

 heard when the bird was in the air, and descending rapidly ; the other, possibly that 

 referred to by Mr. Bree, under the term " whorring," I have thought to be in some 

 degree similar to that produced by the sharpening of a saw, but with little of the un- 

 pleasant harshness; and I can state with certainty, from the most careful observation, 

 that during the time of its emission, the snipe is not in the air, but on the ground. I 

 may add, that having on one occasion approached sufficiently near to obtain a full 

 view of the bird, I was able to see that its production was unaccompanied by 

 any motion of the wings. — William R. Fisher ; 5, Verulam Buildings, Gray's Inn, 

 July 6th, 1846. 



Longevity of the Oyster Catcher. — My father stuffed a specimen of the oyster catcher 

 for a Mr. Robinson, who had it alive in his possession for thirty years. — Thomas Hall; 

 7, City Road. 



Occurrence of the White Stork near Driffield, Yorkshire. — As I see a notice of the 

 white stork in the last number of the ' Zoologist,' I beg leave to inform you that a spe- 

 cimen was seen this spring on the Driffield stream, below Wansford, in this parish, by 

 two gentlemen, Mr. Fife and Mr. G. Reynard, by whom I was informed of the cir- 

 cumstance. — F. O. Morris ; Nafferton Vicarage, Yorkshire. 



Occurrence of the Egyptian Goose in Kent.— A flock of five of the Egyptian goose 

 (Anas Egyptiaca, of Bewick) have been ranging about Romney Marsh for some few 

 days, but so wild that a specimen could not be obtained ; these birds were formerly very 

 common, and are well-known to the old wild-fowl shooters by the name of the " Crocker 

 Goose." — F. Plomley ; Lydd, Romney Marsh, Kent, July 18th, 1846. 



Occurrence of the Gray Goose and Cornish Chough near Holmes Chapel. — A fine 

 specimen of the gray goose (Anser palustris), and also another of the Cornish chough, 

 have been lately taken near here. Both are great rarities with us. — T. W. Barlow ; 

 Holmes Chapel, near Middleswich. 



Occurrence of the Black Sivan (Cygnus Atratus, Bennett), in Scotland. — A beauti- 

 ful specimen of this bird was shot by Mr. Philp, Kincaple, on the river Eden, in the 

 latter end of last month. After following it for several miles up the river, he got 

 sight of it in a creek near Niddry Mill, and stalked it in a sportsman-like manner. 

 We believe this is the first black swan shot in a wild state in Great Britain, if not in 

 Europe. The bird in question is a female, and weighed nine pounds, three ounces ; 



