Birds. 2569 



Occurrence of the Little Stint (Tringa minuta) at Rye. — I shot a pair of these 

 scarce birds, in full plumage, from the hills along our coast. I have observed them 

 for some days past, but not recognizing them, I did not molest them until I was satis- 

 fied that they were new to me. I have since seen another specimen at the same place. 

 — /. B. Ellman ; Rye, July 14, 1849. 



Occurrence of the Eared Grebe (Podiceps auritus) at Wisbeach. — Two male speci- 

 mens, in full plumage, were shot near Wisbeach a short time since : they were both 

 preserved, the one for the Lynn, and the other for the Wisbeach museum. — /. W. 

 Foster-; Wisbeach, July 17, 1849. 



Occurrence of the Gull-billed Tern (Sterna anglica) at Yarmouth. — A fine adult 

 male specimen of the gull-billed tern was shot at Yarmouth, on July 31st, which I beg 

 to mention, in case it should not have already been recorded by any of the correspon- 

 dents of the ' Zoologist' in that town. — /. H. Gurney, Easton, near Noncich, August 

 14, 1849. 



Rare Birds in Yorkshire. — By a letter received from Mr. Graham, the talented 

 bird-stuffer of York, I hear that a specimen of that exceedingly rare bird, Bulwer's 

 petrel (Thalassidroma Bulweri), was obtained at Scarborough during the spring: and 

 that since then, three examples of Buffon's skua (Lestris parasiticus) have been pro- 

 cured on the Yorkshire coast; and one specimen of Richard's pipit (Anthus Richardi). 

 — Edmund Thomas Higgins ; Penrith, July 25, 1849. 



Ornithological Rambles in Sussex * 



A nice little book after the matter of Rusticus, and written by an old and valued 

 contributor to this magazine. The author is a man after one's own heart, regardless of 

 a little fatigue or inconvenience when in the pursuit of natural history lore. The 

 following extract exhibits the man as well as his style : the scene is in Pagham 

 Harbour. 



" Here, in the dead long summer days, when not a breath of air has been stirring, 

 have I frequently remained for hours, stretched on the hot shingle, and gazed at the 

 osprey as he soared aloft, or watched the little islands of mud at the turn of the tide, 

 as each gradually rose from the receding waters, and was successively taken possession 

 of by flocks of sandpipers and ring-dotterels, after various circumvolutions on the part 

 of each detachment, now simultaneously presenting their snowy breasts to the sun- 

 shine, now suddenly turning their dusky backs, so that the dazzled eye lost sight of 

 them from the contrast ; while the prolonged cry of the titterel, and the melancholy 

 note of the peewit from the distant swamp, have mingled with the scream of the tern 

 and the taunting laugh of the gull. 



11 Here have I watched the oyster-catcher, as he flew from point to point, and 

 cautiously waded into the shallow water ; and the patient heron, that pattern of a 



* ' Ornithological Rambles in Sussex, with a Systematic Catalogue of the Birds 

 of that County, &c. By A. E. Knox, M.A., F.L.S., F.Z.S.' London : Van Voorst, 

 1849. 



