138 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



the latter part of January and beginning of February the fishermen reported 

 numbers of Little Auks at sea. In February one was picked up on the 

 sands, it having been killed at sea and washed ashore. Feb. 26th, 27th, 

 and 28th, several Puffins, Guillemots, and Little Auks were driven ashore 

 during a strong N.E. gale. Some of the Puffins and Guillemots were 

 alive when found. On Feb. 28th another Shore Lark was shot at the 

 Tees Mouth.— T. H. Nelson (Apsley House, Redcar). 



The Green Sandpiper in Ireland.— On Aug. 23rd last I obtained a 

 specimen of this Sandpiper, in full summer plumage, on the River Dodder; 

 and on Dec. 15th I saw another bird of this species at the same place. I 

 observed the latter repeatedly till the middle of February, when it disap- 

 peared. I have occasionally met with it in winter hanging up with Snipe 

 in the market, but it certainly occurs more commonly in the autumn.— 

 Edward Willtams (2, Dame Street, Dublin). 



Hawfinch and Brambling in Ireland.— Hawfinches have been very 

 numerous in Ireland this winter, and have been quite common in the fine 

 old hawthorn woods of the Phoenix Park. Up to this date (March 15th) 

 they show no signs of migrating. Strange to say, they have never been 

 found breeding in Ireland, though I have had specimens from, or heard of 

 these birds occurring in, many other parts of this country. Bramblings 

 have been common in the southern part of the Co. Dublin, and have 

 remained late enough to assume the full summer plumage. I have seen 

 some specimens with the head quite black, every trace of the ashy grey 

 having worn off.— Edward Williams (2, Dame Street, Dublin). 



Habits of the Kentish Plover.— Being in the haunts of this inte- 

 resting little bird last summer, I had an opportunity of noting down on 

 the spot a small item in its economy that may be of interest to other 

 observers of bird-life. The day was exceedingly boisterous, not one that 

 an observer would choose. The dry sand of the shore was being swept 

 over the damp sand in clouds that only rose up some ten inches, but at 

 times entirely hid everything on the ground. I had been watching the 

 movements of one of the Plovers attempting to entice me forward, when 

 ray eye fell on a tiny little speck moving rapidly windward on the wet sand. 

 On my approaching it squatted down, without any shelter, head to the 

 wind, and remained almost perfectly quiet. How such a little ball of down, 

 about the size of a walnut, was not blown over and over, as were many 

 rolls of seaweed, was strange enough ; but, stranger still, how was it not 

 at once banked up with sand on the windward side, as were all the few 

 scattered pebbles that were about? Stretched out, and held stiff against 

 the sand on its ■' port-quarter," was one of its powerful legs, thus effectually 

 preventing any bowling over. I have said that it remained almost perfectly 

 quiet. Such movement as there was, I think was too slight to attract any 



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