Birds. 5429 



Occurrence of the Egyptian Goose (Anser a?gyptiacus) at Weymouth. — A magnificent 

 specimen of this handsome bird was shot on the 18th of December, 1856, in Lodmoor 

 Marsh, situated on the coast, at about half a mile from Weymouth: this marsh is of 

 large extent, and is separated from Weymouth Bay by a narrow bank of shingle and 

 a turnpike-road ; the marsh is cut up by a number of lakes, and is often covered by 

 the water from the high lands ; the Salicornia herbacea grows in profusion in parts, 

 and this forms a favourite food with both wigeon and teal, especially the latter. 

 The Egyptian goose, the subject of this paper, had been noticed in Lodmoor during 

 several successive nights, coming to feed at the same hour as the other wild fowl ; it 

 had been constantly shot at, but escaped. The bird flies very fast, and does not rise 

 like other wild fowl, but towers to some height, and then flies quickly off, in the 

 manner of a pheasant, and this is the reason given by the gunners for its having so 

 long escaped, as, in consequence of the bird towering, they shot under it. Joseph 

 Gillingham, the man who shot it, stripped himself, in order that he might better 

 follow it across the lakes. The bird is an old male, in good plumage : it has been 

 purchased by Mr. Weston for his collection, and is now in the hands of a well-known 

 taxidermist of this place (Richard Rolls) for preservation. — Id. 



Occurrence of the Eared Grebe and Night Heron in Ireland. — An eared grebe 

 (Podiceps auritus) was shot on the coast, near Dundalk, Ireland, on the 13th 

 instant; it is either an adult female or a young bird, and has very distinctly 

 the upturned bill which characterizes the species. In the month of January, 1855, a 

 night heron {Nycticorax ardeola), in immature plumage, was killed in the same part 

 of the country, at Inniskeen, County of Monaghan. These notices may perhaps be 

 thought worthy of insertion in the 'Zoologist.' — Clermont ; Ravensdale Park, Flurry- 

 bridge, Ireland, December 23, 1856. 



Occurrence of the Forktailed Petrel (Thalassidroma Leachii) near Helston. — 

 A specimen of this petrel was captured near Helston a few days since, after a gale 

 from the south and south-west of longer continuance than has been remembered for 

 many years.— Edward Hearle Rodd ; Penzance, December 20, 1856. 



Occurrence of the Forktailed Petrel (Thalassidroma Leachii) at Weymouth. — Three 

 specimens of this petrel have been shown me in the flesh during the early part of this 

 month : the weather has been very bad, with heavy gales from the south-west. This 

 species has already occurred to me here, in the winter of 1852, and other individuals 

 have been killed, of which I possess only a general notice. — William Thompson; 

 Weymouth, December 21, 1856. 



Occurrence of the Forktailed Petrel near Tunbridge. — I have lately seen, at a 

 bird-stuffer's in this town, a very fair specimen of this petrel, which was, I am 

 informed, found dead some three or four years since at Peckham, in this neighbour- 

 hood. Respecting the petrel, I observe that Mr. E. N. Bloomfield mentions (Zool. 

 5365) that, several years ago, a storm petrel was found dead at Great Glemhara, in 

 the county of Suffolk, a servant boy having previously informed him that " he had 

 seen a swallow fly out of the pond." Mr. Bloomfield thereon remarks, " Whether it 

 is likely that the accounts of the emergence of swallows from the water, in the spring, 

 have arisen from like causes, I am not prepared to say ; but I mention this incident, 

 for which I can vouch, as tending to throw some light upon a subject which appears 

 to have attracted considerable interest." I do not exactly see in what way this 

 occurrence can be thought to elucidate this much-vexed question: that an ignorant 

 boy should have mistaken a petrel for a swallow is likely enough, particularly if it 



