NOTICJES OF NEW BOOKS. 235 



in this country, especially as a male was afterwards shot not very 

 distant, and had been previously observed near the same place. 

 A third was also killed in the same neighbourhood during that 

 summer." Montagu adds: — "Mr. Comyns, who gave us the 

 above information, has two of these birds in his collection." 



With regard to the White Stork, of which the last Devonshire 

 example is stated to have been shot at Topsham on the Exe, in 

 July, 1852 (p. 98), we have a note that there is one in the Exeter 

 Museum, labelled " St. George's Clyst, near Exeter [four miles 

 distant], January, 1856." 



The statement (p. 99) that the Sheld-duck has not, to the 

 author's knowledge, been known to breed on Dawlish Warren 

 " within the last three or four years," is somewhat misleading ; 

 for there is good reason to believe that it has not done so for the 

 last forty years. The Shoveller, Anas clypeata, can scarcely be 

 regarded as a " scarce visitant." It is common enough, at all 

 events, at Slapton Ley, where during the past winter upwards of 

 two hundred were met with. The history of the King Eider, 

 Somateria spectabilis, seen by Mr. Gatcombe in the flesh, at Ply- 

 mouth, some years ago, is unfortunately incomplete (p. 107), there 

 being no evidence as to where it was obtained. It is not unlikely 

 it may have been brought in ice by some ship with salt-fish from 

 Newfoundland. 



Writing of the Red-legged Partridge (p. 118), Mr. Pidsley, no 

 doubt correctly, characterises it as an introduced species, but does 

 not mention an earlier date for its appearance than 1860 in the 

 district of Plymouth. It may be well, therefore, to note that this 

 bird was met with on Waddell's Down, near Exeter, so long ago as 

 1844. The Red Grouse is not included in Mr. Pidsley's work ; and 

 he is probably unaware that early in the present century — namely 

 about 1820-25 — Mr. John Knight, of Simonsbath (the father of 

 the present Sir Frederick Knight, M.P. for Worcestershire), 

 turned out several pairs of Red Grouse on Exmoor, by way of 

 experiment. Although no permanent success attended his efforts 

 in that direction, it is worth while, in view of the isolated instances 

 of the occurrence of the Red Grouse in Devonshire which have 

 been reported, to bear in mind this byegone attempt to intro- 

 duce it. 



We might add many other comments to those already given, 

 but want of space precludes it* We have noticed a good many 



