NOTES AND QUERIES. Ill 



the 29th I saw great numbers of Thrushes, Fieldfares, and Redwings 

 feeding on some holly trees in one of the suburbs of Exeter. The end of 

 the year was intensely cold, with bitter east winds. In the first week of 

 January, the weather becoming a little milder, Lapwings were flying bank 

 to the eastward. More Sheldrakes occurred on the Exe, one being a very 

 fine adult ; and Woodcocks were plentiful in the poulterers' shops ; they 

 have been extraordinarily numerous in Devon this winter, though they 

 arrived late, hardly any being seen before Nov. 10th. Another Goosander 

 occurred on the river. About the 5th there was a great increase in 

 the number of Ducks on the river, and many male Wigeon, some adult 

 Scaups, a female Goldeneye, a young Sheldrake, and a White-fronted Goose 

 were shot. I saw many Bar-tailed Godwits and a Grey Plover in the 

 poulterers' shops. About this time a few Wild Swans (Whoopers) were 

 obtained at Bude on the north coast. I hear from Messrs. E. A. S. Elliot 

 and R. P. Nicholls, of Kingsbridge, that there have been vast numbers of 

 wildfowl on the Leys in their district this winter. Several Bitterns have 

 been killed, and Mr. Walter Toll saw more than two hundred Shovellers 

 together on Slapton Ley. Redwings, Fieldfares, Larks, Tree Sparrows, 

 Bramblings, and Woodcocks have been very numerous ; the Larks were by 

 thousands. Mr. Elliot killed a Bean Goose on the Estuary on Dec. 29th ; 

 there was only one other bird with it. Eleven Geese — believed to be White- 

 fronted — were also seen. A female Smew was shot on Slapton Ley in 

 Mr. Toll, who killed a female Summer Duck there in December ; the latter, 

 no doubt, had escaped from some ornamental water. Sheldrakes, Scaups, 

 Long-tailed Ducks (immature), one Pochard, Goosanders, Northern and Red- 

 throated Divers, and Grebes have also occurred near Kingsbridge. On 

 Dec. 31st a Knot was brought to Mr. Elliot— a very unusual occurrence 

 for the time of the year. By the local newspapers, I see that a great flight 

 of birds was seen on Dec. 21st crossing the Bridgwater flats in Somerset- 

 shire in a south-westerly direction, and appears to have proceeded down the 

 valleys of the Culm, Exe, and Otter to the south coast, keeping on till the 

 birds reached the South Hams of Devon, where they congregated by 

 thousands. Mr. Lipscombe, at East Budleigh, observed this flight, and 

 says it consisted entirely of five species, Redwings, Fieldfares, Starlings, 

 Larks, and Lapwings, and was coming down the valley of the Otter. Large 

 numbers were also seen streaming to the south down the valley of the Axe. 

 In that part of Devon the Larks are described as having descended on the 

 kitchen-gardens like a flight of locusts.' and to have devoured all the green 

 food to be had. At Southampton, Larks, &c, were seen coming in from 

 the sea, having apparently crossed the channel. — W. S. M. D'Ueban 

 (Moorlands, Exmouth). 



Grey-headed Wagtail in Warwickshire and Worcestershire. —-On 

 May 3rd, 1887, 1 received three Wagtails which had been shot in a meadow 



