NotfES AND QUERIES. 63 



that the throat aod stomach contained no trace of food. This is interesting 

 in connection with the occurrence noted in the 'Field' of Nov. 1st, of 

 another Pomatorhine Skua obtained on Lough Conn on Oct. 24th, Mr. 

 Warren, of Moyview, having no previous record of the species on our west 

 coast since 1862. — R. J. Usshek (Cappagh, Co. Waterford). 



Common Buzzard in Surrey. — A specimen of the Common Buzzard, 

 Buteo vulgaris, was caught in a trap by a gamekeeper at Woodhill, a few 

 miles from Bramley, on November 1 5th last. It was a hen bird, measuring 

 four feet from tip to tip of wings. It has been preserved by Mr. Bradden, 

 taxidermist, of Guildford. — G. H. Eastwood (Godalming). 



Great Flight of Small Birds to the Westward.— Writing from 

 Brighton, on the 4th of December last, Mr. H. S. Harland reported that 

 on Nov. 27th, during the whole of the day, thousands of small birds — for 

 the most part Starlings, but including Thrushes, Larks, Fieldfares, and 

 Redwings — flew past the sea-front of Brighton in an almost continuous 

 stream, from east to west and from morn till eve, The wind was N. by W., 

 and during the forenoon the birds had to face a snow-storm. From this it 

 was concluded that still more severe weather was in prospect, with the wind 

 veering round to the east ; and this proved to be the case. The following 

 day the wind was due east, and the frost became so intense that snow 

 remained on the beach down to high-water mark until Nov. 30th. 



Further westward, Mr. Arthur Lister, writing from Lyme Regis on 

 Dec. 23rd, reported as follows : — " On Thursday night and throughout 

 Friday, the 18th and 19th of December, snow fell heavily over a great part 

 of the country, with a westerly wind ; for nearly a month previously the 

 wind had blown from the east and north-east, with continuous frost at 

 night, the temperature seldom rising above freezing-point during the day. 

 The lowest I registered at Lyme Regis was 18° F. on Nov. 29th, and 20° 

 to 21° on three other nights ; but the cold was more severe inland, for this 

 house stands on high land overlooking the sea, and is sheltered from the 

 north by trees and rising ground. Up to Friday, Dec. 19th, we had little 

 snow in our immediate neighbourhood. On Dec. 20th the wind returned 

 to the N.E., with freezing rain, which covered all herbage with a thin 

 coating of ice. This was very noticeable on the leaves of Iris fcetidissima, 

 a plant which is very abundant on the Lyme undercliff, where the ground 

 was strewn with thin plates blown off by the wind, and bearing the im- 

 pression of the veins of the leaves. Towards evening heavy snow set in, 

 and in a few hours lay four inches to a foot deep over all tho country side. 

 Lyme Regis, lying in the centre of West Bay, between Portland and the 

 Start, has been a favourable point for witnessing the partial migration of 

 birds occasioned by conditions of weather such as I have described. During 

 the whole of Dec. 20th vast flocks of Larks and Starlings, with Fieldfares, 



