NOTFS AND QUERIES. 191 



Red-necked Phalarope in Hants.— In the recently published list of 

 the ■ Birds of Hampshire,' by my friend the Rev. J. E. Kelsall, the above 

 species is casually mentioned as having been reported from this county. 

 I have now the gratification of recording it as an undoubted visitor. On 

 Oct. 27th last a friend of mine was in the meadows, not far from the river, 

 when he observed a bird which he supposed, at first sight, was a Wagtail, 

 running about upon some weeds that were floating down the stream. On 

 drawing closer, to get within shot, he saw there were two birds, one of 

 which slipped off the weeds, and proceeded to swim towards the opposite 

 bank, drawing its head over its back (to use the words of my friend) like a 

 Teal when it swims. He shot it, and I had the chance of seeing the 

 elegant little bird while it was still warm ; the other fortunately escaped. 

 At first sight any lover of birds would see it was a Phalarope regardless of 

 its characteristic feet ; but on comparison with a specimen of the grey 

 species, which I chanced to possess, its specific differences were at once 

 apparent, although the colours of both, being in winter garb, are somewhat 

 similar. The smaller size and more slender build of the Red-necked one 

 were noteworthy, and a closer look at the beaks of the two species seem 

 almost to support the generic distinction which has been proposed ; for 

 whilst that of the " grey " is broader and compressed towards the point, 

 that of the " red " is gradually tapering through its entire length from base 

 to point. The little bird in question weighed just one ounce, and on dis- 

 section it proved to be a male ; the lower parts of the throat and breast are 

 ashy grey, with an indication of the ferruginous tint of summer, and there 

 are some buff streaks upon the darker plumage of the back and greater 

 wing-coverts (is this a mark of immaturity ?), with a conspicuous white bar 

 across the wings ; the crown of the head and a broad streak running through 

 the eye to beyond the ear-covert are brownish black, the back of the neck 

 being of a lighter hue ; all the under parts are white. The texture of the 

 feathers upon the breast and under parts remind one forcibly of those of a 

 Gull, being close and thick-set ; and on skinning the bird it was observable 

 how persistently the feathers would curl over upon the inside of the skin, 

 similar to the Laridce : those who, like myself, sometimes practise 

 taxidermy, will know the peculiarity to which I allude. — G. B. Corbin 

 (Ringwood, Hants). 



Breeding of the Woodcock in Ireland.— A propos of the interesting 

 observations on this subject by Mr. Ussher, Mr. Allan Ellison, and Rev. 

 W. W. Flemyng, in * The Zoologist ' last autumn, three other counties in 

 which the Woodcock breeds may be added to those mentioned ; they are the 

 counties of Kildare, Galway, and Mayo. During the past few years I have 

 observed several Woodcocks haunting parts of Lord Cloncurry's demesne at 

 Lyons, Co. Kildare, through the breeding season. I have frequently 

 watched their evening flight late in spring and in early summer. Although 



