NOTES AND QUERIES. 109 



snow, and doubtless they also have proved destructive to game. Snipe 

 have apparently deserted us, and comparatively few wildfowl have been 

 seen inland. Hares and rabbits are perishing in scores, dead bodies, 

 frozen stiff, being frequently seen. Tn the hedgerows and plantations most 

 of the lower branches and stems of the trees have been peeled by the 

 rabbits, which seem especially partial to holly, ash, and hazel, the black- 

 thorn escaping to a great extent. The hill farmers are put to great straits 

 for want of hay, and the difficulty of transporting it, many of the roads 

 being snow-blocked." 



Briinnich's Guillemot in Cambridgeshire. — With reference to the 

 Guillemot alluded to in your editorial note (p. 70) as announced by the 

 Rev. Julian Tuck, I beg to inform you that this gentleman has been kind 

 enough to send me the specimen in question, stuffed, for inspection. I had 

 little doubt at first sight as to its species, but as I have a very slight 

 acquaintance with this family of birds, I obtained Mr. Tuck's permission 

 to send his bird for the opinion of Professor Alfred Newton, who, after 

 comparing it with specimens in the Cambridge University Museum, wrote 

 to me that (in his opinion) there could be no doubt that the bird is 

 Briinnich's Guillemot. I may add that through the courtesy of Mr. W. J. 

 Clarke and Mr. Oxley Grabham, I have also seen the Scarborough and 

 Filey specimens, recorded loc. supra cit. and that an examination of these 

 confirms (were any confirmation needed) Professor Newton's opinion with 

 regard to the subject of this note. — Ltlford (Lilford Hall, Oundle). 



[It is satisfactory to have all doubt removed by this communication, for 

 which we are much obliged, and it only remains to add that the Cambridge- 

 shire specimen of Briinnich's Guillemot here referred to was obtained at 

 Guyhirne, on the Nene, Cambridgeshire, about the 12th January last. It 

 was received in the flesh by Mr. Travis, taxidermist, of Bury, from whom 

 it was subsequently purchased by Mr. Tuck. — Ed.] 



Sea Gulls in London. — During the continuance of the severe frost in 

 January and February hundreds of Sea Gulls frequented the Thames in 

 the very heart of London, attracted apparently by the open water which 

 was kept from freezing by the tide. Here they remained for many weeks, 

 hovering round the bridges, from which the bystanders threw them pieces 

 of bread, biscuit, and other food, or resting on the moored barges and blocks 

 of floating ice. At Blackfriars Bridge they were especially numerous, and 

 between that and Westminster Bridge they were daily to be seen in hundreds. 

 From Westminster some of them made daily excursions to the water in 

 St. James's Park, where they would alight to share the food thrown to the 

 Ducks and semi-domesticated pinioned Gulls, which perhaps served as 

 decoys. Amongst the flocks which visited the metropolis, by far the 

 greater number were Black-headed Gulls in the ordinary winter plumage, 



