Birds. 2385 



be in poor condition, as if from some cause it had suffered much before its 

 death. 



We had during the cold weather of 1847 many of our usual winter visitors — small 

 flocks of the golden-eye, goosander and merganser ; but the continual warfare that is 

 kept up against them hardly allows them any time to settle in the rivers,— and there 

 can be no doubt that the constant firing which is going on prevents many of the shyer 

 and rarer visitors from coming near us. 



A specimen of the spoonbill (Plaialea leucorodia) was shot at on the warren sands 

 at Exmouth, in December, 1847 — the only one which I have heard of being seen for 

 some time past. 



We had a larger number of the siskin (Fringilla spinus) this winter than I have 

 ever before seen here : many were captured by the bird-catchers, with a fishing-rod 

 covered with bird-lime for a few inches, at the pond, as these interesting little birds 

 are so tame, or so taken up with seeking out their food on the alder-bushes, that they 

 sit till you come close upon them. A snow bunting (Emberiza glacialis) was also 

 shot here this winter : this bird is not frequently met with in this county : it was shot 

 upon the warren at Exmouth, and no other was seen near it. During the same win- 

 ter a specimen of the glaucous gull {Larus glaucus), in its young plumage, was shot 

 at Budleigh Salterton, on this coast. 



The winter of 1848 has not been one of very severe weather, and hence we have 

 not had many of our northern visitors yet with us. 



The fact of fieldfares having arrived very early this year has been alluded to in 

 the ' Zoologist.' The same circumstance was mentioned to me by a friend, who, 

 though not much of a scientific naturalist, is a keen sportsman, much out of doors, 

 and a close observer of all the " goings and comings " of our different birds and 

 beasts, — so that there can be no doubt of the fact, whatever may have been the cause. 



I obtained a fine specimen of the hawfinch (Loxia coccothraustes), and two others 

 were sent to Mr. Truscott, bird-preserver, of this city, which were shot in the neigh- 

 bourhood. 



The Lestris pomarinus and the black tern (Sterna fissipes) have both been killed 

 in the Eye this winter : the latter is now in the extensive and beautiful collection of 

 Major Godfry, of this city. 



In the first week of 1849 an exceedingly fine specimen of the Egyptian goose 

 (Anser Egyptiacus) was shot upon this coast, and which I bought in the Exeter 

 market. This bird had never been seen before by any of the dealers in wild-fowl 

 here, and may be considered of very rare occurrence indeed. I have therefore 

 much pleasure in recording its having been killed in this county. The bird was ex- 

 ceedingly thin and in poor condition, though its plumage was fine. In skinning it I 

 found two old wounds, one in the breast and another near the vent, — the latter one 

 having been rather extreme : both, however, had healed, or rather were in the process 

 of healing, when the bird was killed. 



W. R. Scott. 



St Leonard's, Exeter, 

 January, 1849. 



