112 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



1880, though the eggs were not hatched. Another and more successful 

 instance was noted at Norwich, where a young hybrid was reared and is 

 now preserved in the collection of Mr. J. H. Gurney. But I have not 

 hitherto met with more than one reported case of such a hybrid occurring 

 in a wild state. This one is mentioned by Mr. A. Suchetet, in his very 

 useful papers on Wild Hybrid Birds (part iii. p. 275) published in the 

 ' Memoires de la Societe Zoologique de France ' (vol. v. 1892). It was 

 obtained in France by the late M. Lemetteil, of Bolbec, Seine Inferieure, 

 in December, 1868. The additional instance now brought forward by 

 Mr. Tuck is, therefore, of some interest. On a comparison of his specimen 

 with that in the possession of Mr. Gurney, it was found to be greyer on the 

 crown, to have less black upon the throat, and to have the black cheek- 

 patch not nearly so well defined. Mr. Tuck having kindly entrusted it to 

 my care for a few days, I took the opportunity of exhibiting it at a meeting 

 of the Linnean Society held on the 15th February last, when it naturally 

 attracted much attention from the ornithologists who were present. — J. E. 

 Harting. 



Woodcocks Breeding in the Lake District. — A short time ago I 

 learnt incidentally that for several years past Woodcocks had bred regularly 

 in that part of the Lake District lying between Coniston and Skelwith, — 

 that is, in the thickets of Grisedale, Tilberthwaite, aud Eller Water. 

 Being anxious to ascertain the truth of the report, I visited the locality, aud 

 was fortunate in interviewing an intelligent man now employed as foreman 

 and book-keeper at the Tilberthwaite slate-quarry. He had formerly been 

 a gamekeeper in the employment of the Duke of Buccleuch, and (for a 

 gamekeeper) had a loving knowledge of the habits of birds. He assured 

 me that for some years back — " about seven or eight " — Woodcocks had 

 remained in that neighbourhood, and had reared their young in the copses. 

 He had seen many nests, and had watched the life-progress of the young 

 ones. The whole of the land and the woods in this district (or nearly so) 

 are the property of Mr. Marshall, and it is sincerely to be hoped that 

 efforts will be made to protect the many birds at present to be found there. 

 On the occasion of my visit I noted by the way-side, and in the woods and 

 in the air, twenty-two different kinds of birds. The day (Feb. 5th) was 

 a phenomenally genial one, and I heard Song Thrushes, Robins, and 

 Chaffinches singing gaily. — G. W. Murdoch (Kendal). 



Grey Phalarope in Staffordshire. — An adult female of this species, 

 changing to winter plumage, was shot on Oct. 4th last, at Willenhall, 

 Staffordshire, by Mr. Taylor. It was found upon a small stream, and was 

 alone. This is, I think, the first on record for Staffordshire. — F. Coburn 

 (Holloway Head, Birmingham). [No ; see Garner's List, p. 285. — Ed.] 



Swimming Powers of the Dipper. — If any additional evidence to 

 that given in the ' Zoologist ' is needed, I may state that last August, when 



