2384 Birds. 



most likely had strayed from Dartmoor, where these birds breed regularly and are far 

 from uncommon, though out of the moor districts they are very rarely seen. When 

 this bird was taken it was considered a great rarity, none like it ever having been ob- 

 served there before, though the place was not above six or seven miles from Dartmoor. 

 They appear to confine themselves principally to high and lonely torrs, and there — as 

 you wander amongst the huge detached blocks of granite — they may be observed hop- 

 ping from stone to stone, and in the breeding season are by no means difficult to ap- 

 proach sufficiently near so as to be easily shot. 



Several specimens of the small spotted woodpecker (Picus minor) were killed near 

 to this city during the summer of 1847, and I found a nest in an old apple-tree in 

 one of the nursery gardens. Two specimens of the P. major have been killed in the 

 neighbourhood, and are considered rare : one was in the young plumage, the other in 

 the old. 



I have also procured a specimen of Yunx torquilla, and which I am told is not 

 unfrequently found here, but I cannot consider them plentiful, from the very few peo- 

 ple who appear to know the bird, — even those who make a habit of observing. Mr. 

 Selby remarks that only a few of these birds are to be found in Northumberland, but 

 in one part of that county (near Stamfordham), and where I spent the earlier years of 

 my life, they were certainly not uncommon, for I have frequently taken their nests 

 and kept their young ; and on an evening I have often watched them gambolling, as 

 it were, amongst some old willow-trees, and uttering their sharp note, until the deeper 

 shades of evening closed upon them. I should almost think that evening is a time 

 when these birds are most active, for I do not remember to have seen them at any 

 other period of the day fluttering and chirping about so much as in the twilight. 



We had here, in the winter of 1845, immense numbers of the gray phalarope 

 (Phalaropus platyrhynchus). Every winter we have a few, but on this occasion they 

 came in such flocks as had never been before noticed. They appeared to have had 

 a long flight and to be quite worn out, so much so that many were caught with 

 the hand, others knocked down with sticks, and shot in large numbers as they sat 

 till very closely approached. There were several killed on the quay at Exeter; 

 and it appeared, from the many notices in the local papers, that these birds oc- 

 curred in large quantities on the whole southern part of this county. The time of 

 their visit was in October; and an old and intelligent wild-fowl shooter, well ac- 

 quainted with the birds that visit our coast, informed me that whenever the equinoc- 

 tial gales blew strongly from the south-east these birds always appeared in considerable 

 numbers, and in an exhausted condition ; and this year they certainly appeared after 

 very strong south-east winds. 



Several specimens of Anas albifrons were shot here in the latter part of 1846, and 

 also specimens of the brent goose. 



Some specimens of Colymbus glacialis were procured in our rivers, but all these 

 were young birds and in their immature plumage. I have never yet seen a full- 

 pi umaged bird shot here. 



A good specimen of the osprey (Pandion Halia'etos) was shot in December, 1847. 

 This bird is not a very uncommon visitor, as almost every winter one or two are shot 

 in the neighbourhood. 



A specimen of the common skua (Lestris cataractes) was found dead in a field 

 about twelve or fourteen miles from the coast : it is a fine old bird and in good plumage. 

 In skinning it I could find no place indicating its being wounded, but it appeared to 



