34 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



up the river there, alongside the quays. On the morning of the 14th of 

 October two were seen alighting on the grass in Crawford Square, Derry ; 

 after resting for a short time they took flight, seemingly much exhausted. 

 Two Fork-tailed and three Storm Petrels were picked up on Rathlin Island 

 during the month of October. Three E^ork-tailed Petrels were seen near 

 Kilkeel, Co. Down. — Kobekt Patterson (1, Windsor Park Terrace, 

 Belfast), 



Rare Birds at Kingsbridge, South Devon. — During the tempestuous 

 weather of Oct. 14th and succeeding days, a large flock of Grey Phalaropes 

 were on the coast. I found it very interesting watching the buoyant little 

 swimmers on the morning of the date mentioned ; they would allow the 

 incoming wave to wash them almost high and dry on the sands, and then, 

 as the succeeding billow threatened to engulf them, they would rise from 

 the water, just top the wave, and settle a little farther out. This went on 

 the whole time I was on the sands. As to numbers, there were hundreds 

 along the shore of the bay, and, after counting as many as sixty from where 

 I stood, I had to give up the task on account of the sand and spray drifting 

 into my face. A good many birds sought shelter in the fresh water of the 

 Leas, and these appeared to be seeking food along the edges of the grassy 

 banks. On the following day I again visited Thurstone Sands, and found 

 the majority of the birds had passed on ; but saw, at the exit of Milton 

 Lea, a Buffon's Skua, which I shot. Numbers of these birds hud been 

 shot at the same place on the previous day, having come in after I had left 

 the sands ; but a record of these birds will reach the pages of * The 

 Zoologist ' from another source. On the 19th, as I had been told by a 

 Beesands fisherman that there were a lot of so-called " mackerel birds" in 

 Start Bay, I determined to ascertain, if possible, their species. Arriving 

 at the little fishing hamlet, I found the surf breaking very heavily on the 

 shore; but two muscular young fishermen instantly offered to launch their 

 boat when they learnt my errand. We got afloat, and soon they pointed 

 out the " mackerel birds," which were easily identified as Terns, both the 

 Common and Arctic species. I had secured specimens of both, and was 

 rowing along not far from the shore, when my attention was arrested by a 

 small dark Gull — the difference of flight between this bird and the Terns 

 being marked — coming towards us ; it afforded an easy shot, and was 

 dropped. When I got it into the boat I saw by its forked tail I had secured 

 one of the rarest Gulls in the British list, namely, a Sabine's Gull in 

 immature dress. The figure in the last edition of Yarrell's 'British Birds' 

 gives a very accurate representation of the bird. On dissection the sex 

 proved to be female. On the following day a Scoter was brought me, which 

 had been shot on the estuary. I casually looked at the bird, and thought 

 it a Common Scoter, and should have sent it away but for the answer of 

 the boy, who said, "Father told me to fling it into the tide if you didu't 



