196 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



Buntings were very scarce, apparently not having arrived in any numbers. 

 The first Hooded Crows were only just appearing; shore birds, too, were 

 uncommon, with the exception of the Ringed Plover. On the marsh at 

 Thurnham were plenty of Curlews, with a few Dunlins and Redshanks, 

 and I secured a specimen of the Whimbrel which appeared to have been 

 previously wounded. Oystercatchers were fairly numerous on the beach, 

 but I only saw one Grey Plover. A flock of Golden Plover, I was told, had 

 remained a few hours on the flat at Snettisham on the 6th, but I did not see 

 a single specimen. The Woodcock had not arrived up to the date of my 

 leaving, and a long round on the marshes only resulted in one Snipe being 

 flushed. On the 17th a fair number of Lapwings came in ; they appeared 

 to be just flying over the surface of the water about a quarter-of-a-mile 

 distant from the shore. On the 19th two large flights of Scoters arrived 

 during a heavy storm of rain. On the 20th I was able to get off in a boat, 

 spending the best part of the day about a mile from the shore. Birds were 

 not numerous ; but 1 noted a few Common Scoters (mostly adults), two or 

 three immature Red-breasted Mergansers, a few Puffins, young Gannets, 

 and Red-throated Divers. About a fortnight previously my boatman told 

 me that this species was very numerous. T. also saw a Grebe or two, 

 apparently the Red-necked species, though I did not get a very near view. 

 As the tide fell, large numbers of Curlews passed overhead on their daily 

 journey to the Wolfertou mud-flats. Two Terns appeared, one of which 

 was a Sandwich Tern — rather a late bird. House Martins were not 

 uncommon ; they appeared to be crossing the Wash from the Lincolnshire 

 coast. Swallows were fairly common throughout my visit. Amongst the 

 Gulls the commoner species were fairly abundant, though the three larger 

 ones (marinus, fuscus, argentatus) were in the minority. — F. B. Whitlock 

 (Beeston, Notts). 



Bitterns in Bedfordshire. — On the 29th December last a Bittern was 

 shot close to the town of Bedford, another on the River Ouse at Wellington, 

 four miles from Bedford, and a third, I regret to say, early in February at 

 Silsoe, on Earl Cowper's estate. — J. Steele Elliott (Park Road, Suttou 

 Coldfield). 



SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES, 



Linnean Society of London. 

 April 7, 1892. — Prof. Stewart, President, in the chair. 

 Prof. DArcy Thompson and Mr. W. Somerville were admitted Fellows. 

 Mr. Spencer Moore exhibited and made remarks upon 6ome samples of 

 Mate, or Paraguayan Tea, recently brought by him from South America. 

 Mr. J. Tristram Valentine exhibited a skin of Grevy's Zebra, recently 



