220 THE ZOOLOGIST, 



disease known to falconers as the " croaks." This falcon showed 

 no signs of being trained, or of having ever been in captivity. 



26th. I received from Mr. H. Tresham, of Peterborough, a 

 3'oung Puffin that was picked up in Thorney Fen a few days ago. 

 I am glad to say that we have kept this bird alive and well here 

 for nearly five months. 



December. 



9th. The gamekeepers report many thousands of Wood Pigeons 

 about our old oak-woods, in which there is an extraordinary crop 

 of acorns. The Wadenhoe gamekeeper, to give some idea of the 

 numbers of these birds, sent me word that they are as " five to 

 one in the French war year," 1870-71, when we had more 

 Pigeons than in any other season in my recollection. 



11. Mr. W. Tomalin was good enough to send me a Mealy 

 Redpoll alive, with the information that it was recently caught 

 by a Northampton birdcatcher near Roade. The falconer to-day 

 reported that on 9th inst. two Swans passed over Lilford in a 

 southerly direction, loudly trumpeting as they flew. 



14th. Eighteen Geese reported as passing over Thorpe 

 Waterville. 



18th. " More Wood Pigeons than ever in the oak-woods," 

 reported by many persons. 



21st. Mr. Walter Stopford shot and sent to me, in the flesh, 

 a very beautiful, nearly pure white, variety of Redwing, of which 

 he had been in pursuit for the last two or three days, in the 

 neighbourhood of Tichmarsh. The head of this bird showed an 

 approach to the normal colour ; there were a few pale brown 

 feathers among the lesser wing-coverts ; all the rest of the plumage 

 a creamy white ; beak of the normal colour ; legs and feet pale 

 flesh-colour. This bird kept company with a small flock of 

 Fieldfares. 



24th. A very great diminution in the number of Wood 

 Pigeons reported by our shooting parties. I am informed by 

 everyone about Lilford that there is a very unusual abundance of 

 Fieldfares in the neighbourhood. 



27th. The Aldwincle gamekeeper tells me that an old blue 

 Falcon has been " drilling" the Wood Pigeons about our woods 

 for some time past. 



I append, for what they may be worth, dates of first reports 



