68 THE ZOOLOGIST* 



our Common Redstart. It was shot by Mr. J. R. Burge on the 10th, and 

 proved to be a young male, in very poor condition ; indeed, from the state of 

 its lungs, I have no doubt it would soon have died. — H. J. Charbonnier 

 (Clifton). 



Great Northern Diver at Hastings.— On Dec. 31st I saw an imma- 

 ture Great Northern Diver, Colymbus glacialis, shot off Hastings Pier. Its 

 weight was 6 lbs. only, and it was in poor condition. — G. W. Bradshaw. 



Thick-knee in Sussex in Winter.— On Jan. 7th I had brought to me 

 an adult female Thick-knee or Norfolk Plover, CEdicnemus crepitans, shot 

 at a small stream near St. Leonards Green, which is within the boundaries 

 of the towns of Hastings and St. Leonards. Weight, 1 lb. 5£ oz. — 

 G. W. Bradshaw (Hastings). 



[The occurrence of this bird in England in winter is noteworthy, for, 

 except in the south-western counties of Devon and Cornwall, which seem 

 to come just within the noithern limit of its range in winter, its stay with 

 us as a rule is only from April to September inclusive. — Ed.] 



Remarkable Invasion of Little Auks. — From all parts of the north 

 and north-east coast reports have reached us of the extraordinary abundance 

 during the month of January of the Little Auk, Mergulus alle. On the 

 21st of that month great numbers were observed passing south, both at 

 sea and along the coast, and many were cast ashore in a helpless con- 

 dition, exhausted in their attempts to withstand the stormy weather which 

 has recently prevailed. Several also have been shot by coast gunners, 

 while others have been picked up in a moribund state many miles from the 

 sea. In the neighbourhood of Redcar, Mr. Nelson reports the occurrence 

 of not less than two hundred and fifty, the energies of the local birdstuffers 

 having been taxed to the utmost to preserve the numerous specimens which 

 have been sent to them by persons desirous of keeping mementoes of so 

 curious an occurrence. Similarly at Scarborough the taxidermists have 

 had a busy time of it ; and on the Norfolk coast Mr. J. H. Gurney has 

 collected records of the capture or finding of more than one hundred and 

 twenty of these little birds. They have indeed had a rough time of it, not 

 only buffeted to death by wind and wave, or shot by the coast gunners, 

 but seized upon in their helpless condition by the larger Gulls, aud 

 promptly devoured. In the stomach of a Great Black-backed Gull a Little 

 Auk was found crushed but entire, and the same thing occurred in the 

 case of a Glaucous Gull. These great birds with their powerful beaks find 

 no difficulty in crunching their victims till all their larger bones are 

 broken (just as the Heron treats a Water Rat) and then swallowing them 

 whole. This perhaps is not a very wonderful feat, since a Little Auk 

 which I received was found to weigh only 4£ oz., or the average weght of 

 a Snipe. — J. E. Harting* 







