Birds. 115 



a good deal clouded with a shade of brocoli brown. This, I believe, 

 is the first recorded example of the species in Cornwall. — Edwcl. 

 Hearle Rodd; Penzance, MarcJi 18, 1843. 



Note on the occurrence of rare British Birds near Garstang, Lan- 

 cashire. I was fortunate enough, about the 20th of October, 1842, 

 to obtain two good specimens of the grey phalarope [Phalaropus lo- 

 hatus, Latham), on the shore near to my own residence. One bird 

 was taken alive in a net, placed in the night for sea-fowl near high- 

 water mark, and for two days fed very voraciously on common worms. 

 This bird did not appear in any degree alarmed by my presence when 

 feeding, but ate the worms which I threw to it without even noticing 

 me. It lived in confinement three days, and, I imagine, shortened its 

 existence by making attempts to escape from its place of imprison- 

 ment. The other bird was shot, and allowed a party of us, four in 

 number, to approach within twenty yards of it, without showing any 

 symptoms of fear. We noticed it feeding, as we supposed, upon ma- 

 rine insects and small Crustacea ; and during the time it was picking 

 up its food, its wings were partially extended, and were kept in an in- 

 cessant slight fluttering motion. Whether this is its general habit 

 and posture of feeding, or whether it was owing, in some degree, to 

 the very stormy day, 1 cannot say ; but its fearlessness of danger 

 from man was particularly remarked by us all. The same day, and 

 very near to the same place, we had the good fortune to get Bewick's 

 knot, or Selninger sandpiper, the purple sandpiper of Yarrell (Brit. 

 Birds, ii. QQ6, Tringa maritima, Gmelin and Latham), which is a 

 very scarce bird here : it also allowed us to approach within ten yards 

 of it before it attempted to take wing. I attribute the appearance 

 of these three scarce birds in this part, to the tempestuous weather 

 which then prevailed, and which extended, I believe, over a consi- 

 derable portion of the British Isles. On the 26th of October, 1842, 1 

 procured a specimen of the young of the golden eye, the Morillon of 

 Bewick, [Anas clangula, Linn, and Penn.) ; and on the 14th of Janu- 

 ary, 1843, another bird, which I take to be the young male of the har- 

 lequin duck [Anas histrionica, Linn., Gmel., Latham; see also Yarrell, 

 Brit. Birds, iii. 262). Should the preceding record of the occurrence 

 of some rare British birds, be considered worthy of a place in your 

 interesting publication, you will greatly oblige me by inserting them. 

 — Jas D. Banister ; Pillingy near Garstang, Lancashire, March 18, 

 1843. 



Note on the early arrival of Martins in 1843. This morning I was 

 surprised by the sight of several martins flying about and taking flies. 



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