268 tttE ZOOLOGIST. 



Brighton, on March 28th, there were two Razorbills in the Aquarium, 

 which had lived there nearly three years. When they dived it could 

 immediately be seen how tightly compressed all the plumage was by the 

 weight of water, the vacuum made by the air in and beneath the feathers 

 encasing the whole body of the bird as in an envelope of silver. As the air 

 streams away, expelled from the Razorbill's tail, it rises in a beautiful net- 

 work of bubbles to the surface. It is hardly correct to state as some have 

 done that the action of the wing under water is precisely the same as in 

 flight, because it is never fully extended, the beats are not so rapid, and the 

 motion is sustained with labour. Razorbills are probably able to see to a 

 great depth in still water, for when searching for food in their tanks it is to 

 be noted that they merely swim with about half the head immersed, just 

 enough for the eyes to be under the surface and no more. — J. H. Gurney 

 (Keswick, Norwich). 



Marsh Harrier nesting in Oxfordshire. — In the interests of the 

 Oxfordshire ornithological record, allow me to say that I hope Mr. Swann, 

 or his informant, will see his way to give us more precise information about 

 the Marsh Harrier breeding in this county (p. 227). Those ornithologists 

 who know Oxfordshire will have read with no little astonishment that this 

 Harrier, hardly known even as an occasional visitor nowadays, should have 

 actually nested so recently as July, 1890. I only know one locality " near 

 Oxford " in the least degree suitable to the requirements of this species. It 

 would be interesting to know the exact locality of the nest ; also how many 

 eggs it contained, how they were identified, and what became of the birds. 

 From Mr. Swann's note it appears that his informant, from whom he pur- 

 chased the egg, was not very clear in his remembrance of the nest. Unless 

 the birds were satisfactorily identified it seems more probable that they were 

 Montagu's Harriers — supposing it to be certain that they were Harriers at 

 all. I hope Mr. Swann will not consider this note as an unduly sceptical 

 one, and will understand that it is written solely in the interest of our county 

 avifaunal history. — 0. V. Aplin (Bloxham, Oxon). 



Whiskered Tern in Dumfriesshire. — On the 28th May last a male 

 specimen of the Whiskered Tern, Hydrochelidon hybrida, was forwarded 

 to me from Friars Carse, with the information that it had been shot on 

 marshy ground near the Carse loch, about eight miles from Dumfries. As 

 I had never seen this bird before, I examined it in the most careful 

 manner, referring occasionally to my books, and comparing it with speci- 

 mens of the commoner Terns in order to ascertain the precise identity of the 

 bird before sending you this note. Convinced that it was the Whiskered 

 Tern, I gave the bird in the flesh to Mr. Robert Service, of Maxwelltowu, 

 Dumfries, for examination, and he agreed in the identification. After 

 skinning it I returned the body to Mr. Service, so that he might examine 



