2622 Birds. 



Autumnal Migration of Birds at Stilly. — I understand that a host of the migra- 

 tory warblers still hangs about the islands. Keed wrens, pied flycatchers, redstarts, 

 willow wrens, garden warblers, &c, have all been captured ; and a large buzzard- 

 like-looking bird, with a yellow head, — which will prove, I have no doubt, to be the 

 marsh harrier, — has been seen. — Id. 



Inquiry respecting the Gray-legged Goose. — In the very interesting paper recently 

 published in the ' Zoologist' on the birds of Oxfordshire, from the pens of the Revds. 

 A. and H. Matthews, the gray-legged goose {Anser ferus) is spoken of as "always 

 common during the winter months, and in some years unusually abundant " (Zool. 

 2538), which I am surprised to hear, as in this county, which would seem to be more 

 favourably situated for aquatic birds, this goose only appears as an extremely rare vi- 

 sitor, — whilst another species, which is not mentioned in the Oxford catalogue, viz., 

 the pink-footed goose (A. phcenicopus) is rather a common winter visitant in Norfolk. 

 Is it possible that the specimens noted in the Oxford catalogue as gray-legged geese 

 are bean geese, whilst those noted as bean geese are pink-footed geese ? I trust I 

 may be excused for suggesting this question, and should be glad if it were to lead to 

 some re-examination of the actual specimens. I may perhaps be allowed, in conclu- 

 sion, to advert to the ready diagnosis which is afforded by the well-known fact that in 

 the gray-legged and white-faced geese the " nail " of the bill is always white, whereas 

 in the bean and pink-footed geese it is always black. — J. H. Gurney ; Easton, Nor- 

 folk, October 30, 1849. 



Note on the Colour of the Down of Water Birds. — I am not aware that the colour 

 of the down of the water birds has ever been noticed in any work on natural history, 

 — at least it has not in any that have fallen in my way. I have been in the habit, 

 for two or three years, of noting the colour of the down of the few birds I have pre- 

 served myself in that time, as it occurred to me that it would very possibly form a 

 good specific character, which in some cases of doubt would be very valuable. I have 

 not done sufficient yet in the way of observation in this matter to be able to send a 

 series of facts for the ' Zoologist,' but am induced to call the attention of naturalists 

 to the subject, in hopes that those who have more opportunities than I have of ex- 

 amining young and adult water birds, would note the colour of the down in both 

 stages of age. I should be particularly obliged to any fellow-labourer in natural his- 

 tory who would inform me as to the colour of the down in the masked gull (Larus 

 capistratus). A bird which I believe to be the young of this gull was shot near York 

 some three months ago : in this the down is dark-coloured, while in the allied species 

 (L. ridibundus) the down is white, — at least in the adult bird. If any of the readers 

 of the 'Zoologist' would kindly send me positive information on the colour of the 

 down of any of our water birds, and state whether the specimen on which the obser- 

 vation was made was young or adult, they would greatly oblige me, and I would then 

 combine the information I might thus obtain with the facts I have myself observed, 

 and if any useful result were obtained I would publish it in the ' Zoologist.' This 

 character is so easily observed, that — should it prove constant — it would, I think, be 

 very useful, and prevent many mistakes from being made. — Beverley R. Morris, A.B., 

 M.D.; York, October 6, 1849. 



Occurrence of the Fork-tailed Petrel (Thalassidroma Leachii) near Yarmouth. — 

 A specimen of this bird was killed near Yarmouth about the middle of this month. — 

 ./. //. Gurney ; Easton, Norfolk, October 30, 1849. 



