234 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



author has any evidence to the contrary, it might have been well 

 to have noted it. 



Mr. Pidsley does not throw any light on the breeding of the 

 Bearded Titmouse (p. 23) in Devonshire. Bellamy, whom he 

 quotes, of course derived his information from Comyns, an 

 observant ornithologist, often quoted by Montagu, and, as the 

 locality referred to is (or was) a likely one, his observation hardly 

 deserves to be characterised as " vague, hearsay evidence." 



It is to be presumed that the " droves " of Parus cristatus, 

 referred to by the editor (p. 25), were not observed by him in 

 Devonshire. The wording is a little vague. If we are not 

 mistaken, the late William Brodrick found Motacilla alba, 

 Linn., breeding near Ilfracombe, and, though Mr. Pidsley 

 characterises Motacilla melanope. Pall, (the Grey Wagtail), as a 

 scarce bird on Dartmoor (p. 28), he has overlooked the fact that 

 Gatcombe often found it breeding on the borders of Dartmoor. 



We are told (p. 41) that the Hawfinch has not been found 

 breeding in Devonshire, but we have an impression that Mr. 

 D'Urban has found the nest in South Devon. The bird itself is 

 often met with there in winter and early spring. 



The author does not seem to be aware that the so-called 

 Parrot Crossbill, which he regards as a distinct species (p. 45), 

 is now generally regarded as merely a large-billed race of the 

 Common Crossbill (c./. Saunders, * Manual,' p. 194). It was 

 Mr. D'Urban who pointed out to Seward, the taxidermist, that 

 the Crossbills sent to him from Exmouth, in January, 1888, 

 belonged to this race (c.f. ' Zoologist,' 1888, p. 105). 



Large flocks of Snow Buntings (p. 49) are not " quite 

 unknown " in Devon. Mr. G. F. Mathew saw a large flock near 

 Barnstaple in the autumn of 1863 (Zool., 1863, p. 8845). The 

 Wood Lark, Alauda arborea, which is stated (p. 56) to be "on the 

 whole a scarce bird," abounds in many parts of Devon, particularly 

 in autumn. 



In enumerating the reported instances of the occurrence of 

 the Little Bittern in Devonshire, Mr. Pidsley has overlooked the 

 notable example recorded by Montagu (Orn. Diet. Suppl.), on the 

 authority of Comyns. This bird, a female, was shot by the river 

 Credey in May, 1808, and was found to have a considerable 

 number of eggs in the ovary, some of which were so enlarged 

 "as to induce an opinion that a brood would have been produced 



