2392 Birds. 



martin : on the latter day, a little before dusk, one of the swallows permitted itself to 

 be caught by hand as it sat on the window-sill, and, after having been duly caressed 

 as a matter of course, was soon restored to liberty, and flew away briskly. After the 

 22nd we saw no more of our little feathered favourites ; and whether they migrated to 

 more genial climes (as was earnestly hoped) or perished from the inclemency of the 

 weather, remained a problem, which, however interesting, we were unable to solve. 

 Mr. Ellman, I perceive (Zool. 2352), observed young swallows at Eye, probably under 

 circumstances very similar to the above, so late as from the 13th to the 29th of No- 

 vember. — W. T. Bree ; Allesley Rectory, February 15, 1849. 



White Variety of the Swallow. — I have a perfectly white variety of the swallow, 

 shot here about a year and a half ago. — J. F. Colman ; Stoke Holy Cross, near Norwich, 

 December 22, 1848. 



Late slay of the Martin (Hirundo urbica) in Suffolk. — I beg to mention that a 

 single specimen of the house martin was flying about very briskly this day, on the 

 beach at Gorleston, in Suffolk : on shooting it I found it to be a remarkably small bird : 

 it is now in the process of being stuffed. — Id. 



Late appearance of the House Martin (Hirundo urbica) near Deal. — December 8th: 

 I saw three house martins at Kingsdown, under the cliff. I watched them for some 

 time, in order to be sure what they were. Had they not perhaps been hybernating in 

 some cleft, which they had left on account of the unusually warm weather ? — /. W. 

 Hulke ; 155, Lower Street, Deal. 



Occurrence of the Pectoral Sandpiper (Tringa pectoralis) near Yarmouth. — I have 

 recently purchased, of the man who shot it, a specimen of the pectoral sandpiper, which 

 was killed on the Denes, near Yarmouth, in the last week of September, 1848. The 

 plumage is in a state of transition from the nuptial to the winter dress : the sex unfor- 

 tunately was not ascertained by dissection, and therefore cannot be given. It appears, 

 when shot, to have been a solitary individual. — /. H. Gurney ; Easton, near Norwich, 

 February 2, 1849. 



Occurrence of the Bittern (Ardea stellaris) at Lymington. — Three of these birds 

 have been shot within a few miles of Lymington, Hants, within the last three weeks ; 

 all fine specimens. — J. Wright ; Lymington, January 11,1 849. 



Occurrence of Buff on s Skua (Lestris Buffonii) in Huntingdonshire. — A specimen 

 of Buffon's skua was shot in the parish of St. Neots, Huntingdonshire, in October, 

 1 848, after a very windy night : it was sitting in an arable field, very tame. It is now 

 in the possession of the gentleman who shot it, G. D. Rowley, Esq., of the Priory, St. 

 Neots, who has kindly communicated these particulars. — John Wolley ; 3, Roxburgh 

 Terrace, Edinburgh, January 8, 1849. 



Occurrence of the Fork-tail Petrel (Thalassidroma Leachii) near Brighton. — A very 

 perfect specimen of this bird was picked up alive, but in an exhausted state, on the 

 14th of December, 1848, at Rottingdean, near Brighton. I saw it the next morning 

 at Mr. Swaysland's.— William Borrcr, Jun. ; Brighton, January 19, 1849. 



Provincial Names of Birds. — None of your correspondents have provincialized the 

 names of our water-birds. I see no reason for the neglect, and therefore, by way of 

 commencement, send the following list. The thick-knee is a ' night curlew.' The 

 ringed plovers are ' stone-runners.' The peewit is a ' green plover.' The oyster- 

 en tclicr an ' olive." The dunlin an ' ox bird.' The redshank a ' red-leg.' The god- 

 wits are ' petrels.' The avocet bears the very significant title of ' a cobbler's awl.' 

 These are all I can make out among the Gra 11a tores, nearly all the Seolopaeithe being 

 ' u ml pipers.' The Natatores are better known, as will be seen below. The hooper 



