NOTES AND QUERIES. 223 



On the 7th of June the Sandwich Terns' nests were counted, and there 

 were found to be two hundred and forty nests. Two pairs of Roseate Terns 

 nested, one on the Knoxes, the other on the Wideopens, and it is to be 

 hoped they will increase. The Common Terns' eggs, which had been 

 placed in the nests of the Arctic Terns, did not hatch, but with a more 

 favourable season than last, it is intended to renew the experiment of 

 trying to re-introduce them, as I understand in former years they bred 

 commonly on the Islands. A large number of the eggs of the Lesser 

 Black-backed Gull were taken in the beginning of the season and given 

 away to the poor, and if possible I should like to drive them off the Inner 

 Wideopens altogether, as they have plenty of other islands to breed on, 

 where they would do less damage. They destroy great numbers of Eider 

 Ducks' and Terns' eggs. Whenever an Eider Duck has been disturbed 

 and left her nest uncovered, a gull is sure to swoop down and be off with 

 an egg before the duck can return. The gulls never interfere with the 

 eggs on the Knoxes, and if they can be prevented breeding on the Inner 

 Wideopens, I do not think they will do much damage. Taking the eggs 

 does not drive the gulls away, but turning the nests upside down seems to 

 have that effect. Guillemots, Puffins, Kittiwakes, Oystercatchers, and 

 Ring Dotterels were plentiful. No steamers with shooting parties visited 

 the Islands, and I do not think many eggs were taken by the fishermen. 

 The difficulty in watching the fishermen is very great, as they catch their 

 crabs close to the Islands, and it is only by hearing the screams of the 

 birds that the watchers can be certain anybody has landed, and by the time 

 they have rowed perhaps half a mile to the spot, the fishermen are quietly 

 hauling their crab-pots as if nothing had happened. At other times, when 

 gathering mussels in the pools at low-water, a practice which I hardly like 

 stopping, as bait is scarce and very expensive to buy, a few dozen eggs can 

 easily be taken without the watcher's knowledge. On the whole, however, 

 I think the fishermen behave very well, considering they were allowed for 

 many years to take the eggs as they pleased. If the Bill now before Par- 

 liament to protect eggs is passed, it will very much decrease the expense 

 of watching. The inhabitants of Northumberland are much indebted to 

 the many kind ornithologists at a distance who subscribe for the preser- 

 vation of birds which they cannot often have the opportunity of seeing." 



MAMMALIA. 



The Serotine Bat in Sussex.— On the 27th of April last, Mr. J. E. 

 Hall, of Barrow Hill, Henfield, discovered a colony of this bat, Vesperugo 

 serotinus, established behind the plaister under a small gable projecting 

 from the wall of the Vicarage-house at Burpham, near Arundel. The 

 entrance to their place of concealment being by an exceedingly small 

 crevice, Mr. Hall tried for some time to make them quit this place by 



