LIST OP BIRDS AT TOOTING-BECK COMMON. 179 



63. Stock Dove. 70. Herring Gull. 



64. Pheasant. 71. Common Gull. 



65. Woodcock. 72. Bar-tailed Godwit, and 



66. Water Rail. 73. Curlew. March 25, 1894, 



67. Water Hen. 11 p.m. 



68. Wild Duck. 74. Wader, sp. not determined. 



69. Teal. 



The Bar-tailed Godwit and Curlew I heard passing over, 

 apparently a large flight from their cries, going north-east. 



Every spring and autumn, during night-time, a bird is heard 

 — probably some kind of wader — that utters continually a short 

 note repeated four times in quick succession, greatly resembling 

 in tone the note of a child's squeaking toy. From the direction 

 of sound it apparently flies about in an aimless manner, and 

 often appears to be circling round, especially on dark stormy 

 nights. Once at midnight, while crossing the Common, I flushed 

 one by a clump of furze ; it rose quite near me, but I was unable 

 to see it, for the night was very dark. It called immediately it 

 rose, and from its notes appeared to take a zigzag line of flight. 



What species it is I have as yet been unable to discover, 

 although I have frequently made enquiries of my ornithological 

 friends. It is certainly abundant during migration. I have 

 heard the notes annually since 1877, in which year I first noticed 

 them on a very stormy August night, during a thunderstorm, 

 when the bird which uttered them was heard calling in all direc- 

 tions, and appeared to be flying wildly about. 



[The description of the flight, and the short note, repeated 

 three or four times, remind us of the Common Sandpiper, Tring- 

 oides hypoleucuSy which would be a spring and autumn migrant in 

 the neighbourhood referred to. — Ed.] 



WILD BIRDS PROTECTION ACT (1880) AMENDMENT. 



The following is the text of the Bill which has been re- 

 introduced into Parliament during the present session by Sir 

 Herbert Maxwell, Bart., M.P., and which has for its object the 

 protection of eggs. 



Memorandum. — The present Bill differs from a Bill on the 

 same subject which the House of Commons passed through all 



p2 



