384 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



Birds ' (p. 51), where several instances in support of this statement are 

 noted. As additional instances I may mention one shot in a dry clover- 

 field, North Riding of York, Sept. 24th, 1858 (Field,' Oct. 23rd, 1858), and 

 another on a dry bean-stubble, Northauts (Zool. 1880, p. 444). During the 

 present autumn one was shot near Pickering, Yorkshire, on Sept. 21st; 

 another " in a dry water-meadow " at Eaglesham, Renfrewshire, Sept. 27th. 

 Instances of the occurrence of the Great Snipe here in spring are rare. 

 One was shot near Lowestoft, in April, 1851 (Zool. 1851, p. 31 75;, and 

 there is a record of this species having nested near Wroxham, in April, 

 1846 (Zool. I. c). But the late Mr. Stevenson, who enquired carefully into 

 the circumstances, and examined one of the eggs taken, has shown good 

 reason for concluding that the nest was that of a Common Snipe ('Birds 

 of Norfolk,' vol. ii. pp. 300-301). This bird is much rarer in Ireland than 

 in England ; of late years it has been recorded from Co. Cork (Zool. 1884, 

 p. 149), Co. Galway (Zool. 1888, p. 33), and Co. Mayo (Zool. 1893, p. 434). 

 As to the weight of the Solitary Snipe, I think Stevenson's statement 

 (op, cit., p. 302) that the usual weight is from 6£ oz. to 8£ oz. is quite 

 correct. The following are the weights of some that have come under my 

 notice : — 



(1) Milton, Pewsy, Wilts 7| oz. 



(2) Witheridge, N. Devon 7£ 



(3) Morley, Devon 7£ 



(4) Dartmoor 7£ 



(5) Three near Yarmouth 7, 7£, 7£ 



(6) Three, Aldeburgh, Suffolk 7, 7f , 8 



(7) Thorpe, Northants 7f 



(8) Melton Mowbray , Leicester 8 



(9) Stickney, Lincolnshire 10 



(10) Two, Holland 8, 8£ 



(11) Eaglesham, Renfrewshire 10 



(12) Pickering, Yorkshire 10£ 



The heaviest known to the author of the ' Fauna of Norfolk ' (Rev. R. 

 Lubbock) weighed 10 oz., as noted by Stevenson in the work above quoted. 

 In addition to those above mentioned, I have seen many stuffed specimens 

 in different parts of the country, the weights of which had not been 

 ascertained by the respective owners. — J. E. Harting. 



Quail in the Isle of Wight. — I do not know if Quails have been often 

 met with in the island at this season of the year, but I think it is always 

 worth while chronicling their presence. I flushed one by Hurricane 

 House, above Shanklin, on Oct. 2nd. The bird was close to the footpath, 

 and flew only about twenty yards, so I put it up again, just to make sure, 

 as it was getting dusk. — H. Marmaduke Langdale (Royal Cliff, Sandown). 



