&6 tHfc ZOOLOGIST. 



not know how these birds discover the berries ; it cannot be by their colour, 

 for there are two large hollies within ten yards of each other ; one of them 

 was for days full of birds constantly flying past the other, which was almost 

 a mass of brilliant red berries. One tree was almost stripped bare, and 

 th> birds all went to an adjoining field for three days. Then one morning 

 I found them in the remaining bush, which they speedily stripped as bare 

 as the rest." 



The Water Rail in Middlesex.— I have for the last two months 

 intended to inform you of the occurrence of the Water Rail, Rallus 

 aquaticus, in this neighbourhood, where of late years it has been but little 

 seen. On Oct. 31st a friend brought me a female bird of this species, 

 which he had picked up by the road-side near Osterley Park. It was in 

 excellent plumage, though miserably thin, and had apparently died of 

 starvation. — Anthony Belt (Ealing). 



[But Water Rails are always thin, or seem so; the sternum being very 

 narrow and the ribs much compressed, a peculiarity of structure correlated 

 no doubt with the bird's habits. So also with the Land Rail, Spotted 

 Crake, and in fact all the Rallida. — Ed.] 



Scaup in Leicestershire. — A female Scaup, Fuligula marila, was shot 

 at Thornton Reservoir on Dec. 4th, and is now in my possession. I am 

 indebted for this note and the bird to Mr. Whitaker, of Wistow. — T. 

 Macaulay (Kibworth, Leicester). 



[Although less addicted to fresh water than the Pochard, Fuligula ferina, 

 the Scaup occasionally comes a long way inland during the winter months, 

 and especially after rough weather.— Ed.] 



Addition to the Avifauna of the Feeroe Islands. — The veteran 

 ornithologist, Herr H. C. Miiller, of Thorshavn, informs me that he 

 obtained the Jack Snipe Gallinago gallinula, in Fseroe, last year (1890), for 

 the first time.— H. W. Feilden (Wells, Norfolk). 



Long-tailed Duck on the Coast of Somerset. — A Long-tailed Duck, 

 Harelda glacialis, was shot in the bay at Weston-super-Mare on Dec. 16th, 

 and brought to me. It was in immature plumage, but there was no doubt 

 about the species. I can find no mention of its previous occurrence in 

 Somersetshire. — F. A. Knight (Weston-super-Mare). 



Wildfowl in Essex. — The almost arctic weather which prevailed 

 during the early part of January caused us, in this district, to be visited by 

 many species of birds we rarely see in milder winters. On visiting our 

 local birdstuffer, Mr. Pettitt, on Jan. 10th, I found him very fully employed. 

 He had received three Common Bitterns {Botaurus stellaris), two Bewick's 

 Swans, one Whooper, one Mute Swan (immature, and possibly an escaped 

 bird), two Bean Geese (Anser segetum), one Pink- tooted Goose (A. brachy- 



