&8 tttft ZOOLOGIST. 



about nine miles S.E. of Barnstaple, — caught an Eared Grebe, Podiceps 

 nigricollis. It was shuffling along on the ice, and seemed unable to rise or 

 take wing. I believe this is the first Eared Grebe recorded as having been 

 killed in Devonshire. Several Egyptian Geese have been shot on the Taw, 

 as well as a beautiful specimen of the Smew, Mergus albellus, which I saw 

 at Mr. Rowe's, the taxidermist of this town. A Common Bittern was shot 

 near Bideford about Jan. 1st. — J. G. Hamling (The Close, Barnstaple). 



[Our correspondent is mistaken in supposing the above-mentioned in- 

 stance of the occurrence of the Eared Grebe to be the first recorded for 

 Devonshire. Several previous captures will be found noticed in Messrs. 

 Pidsley and Macpherson's lately published ' Birds of Devonshire,' to be 

 had of Mr. Commin, High Street, Exeter. — Ed.] 



Bernacle Goose near Scarborough.— Since 1866 (in which year speci- 

 mens were obtained on the coast of Northumberland) not a single example 

 of this species has come to my knowledge. In October of that year I met 

 with a small flock (to the best of my recollection five in number) a few miles 

 north of Scarborough, flying southward and very low near the foot of the 

 cliff. One I wounded, which fell near to me just over the broken water, so 

 that ample opportunity was afforded for identification ; though the bird 

 escaped before the gun could be reloaded. — R. P. Harper (Scarborough). 



[The present severe winter has brought us so many wildfowl from the 

 north that we may expect to hear of Bernacles from some of our cor- 

 respondents. — Ed.] 



SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES, 



Linnean Society of London. 



December 18, 1890. — Prof. Stewart, President, in the chair. 



Messrs. T. W. Cowan, H. G. Rimmer, and H. Williams were admitted ; 

 and the following were elected Fellows of the Society : — Messrs. R. W. 

 Phillips, S. L. Mosley, A. P. Swan, W. M. Webb, A. W. Kappel, and 

 T. W. Fyles. 



Prof. T. Johnson exhibited and made remarks on the male and female 

 plants of Steno gramme interrupta. 



Mr. Clement Reid exhibited specimens of Helix obvoluta from new 

 localities in Sussex, and, by the aid of a specially prepared map, traced the 

 present very local distribution of this mollusc in England. 



Mr. E. M. Holmes exhibited some examples of galls formed on Slgrax 

 benzoin by an Aphis, Mtegopteris styracophila. He also exhibited and 

 described some new British Alguj, Mesoglcca lanosa and Myriocladia 

 tomentosa. 



