Birds. 36a 



vering and experience to get within reach of a flock, and no less so to know the exact 

 time when to pull trigger, as they whirl swiftly round when on wing. As they fly 

 very close together, if the flock is hit two or three generally fall dead to the gun, and 

 I have killed no less than six at one shot myself. The best time of day to get near 

 them, I have, after much experience, found to be either early in the morning or just 

 before dusk. In the middle of the day they often leave the downs and go to the mea- 

 dows and wheat-fields, where they feed on the larvae which frequent those wet lands, 

 and also for the sake of washing in the rivulets. About 2 o'clock in the afternoon 

 they return to the hills and sheep-walks, always frequenting the same locality, which 

 is generally the side of some open hill screened from the north wind, and where neither 

 barns nor human habitations can be seen. In mild and rainy seasons plovers often 

 remain with us until the latter end of February, especially if the springs in this neigh- 

 bourhood are running, about which rivulets they are generally to be found. — William 

 Hewett. 



Note on the Eggs of the Stone Curlew. I yesterday found two eggs of the stone 

 curlew on the bare fallows near Gore hill. They measured two inches in length and 

 four in their smaller circumference, being in appearance much like the egg of the lap- 

 wing, that is, olive brown, with dark irregular blotches. The two eggs, however, dif- 

 fered much from each other; one being considerably larger at the greater end, more 

 oval in shape, and darker in colour, than the other ; they projjably contained the ru- 

 diments of a male and female bird. They were deposited in a small hole on the fal- 

 lows, but there was no nest of any description, and when picked up were quite warm, 

 so that the old bird had just run off" at my approach, though 1 did not observe her. Td. 



Note on the habits of the Dottrell. The dottrell is remarkable for being a very 

 foolish bird, on which account it is easily approached ; I have, when on horseback, seen 

 ihem in the fallow fields, lying on their sides, and scratching and shaking themselves 

 till they were covered with dust ; and yet they took not the slightest notice, although 

 I was riding within three or four yards of the spot. These birds are very easily killed, 

 as they are foolish enough to stand and stare at the sportsman till he approaches with- 

 in a few yards of them ; and if he raises his arm, they lift their wings, if he a leg, they 

 do the same, of which I have been an eye-witness. — Id. 



Note on the occurrence of the Buff-breasted Sandpiper at Yarmouth. I have mnch 

 pleasure in making known to you the occurrence, near this place, of the buff"-breasted 

 sandpiper {Tringa rufescens), a fine specimen of which was shot on the 20th instant on 

 the mud-flats of Breydon. It answers so nearly in colour and markings to the speci- 

 men described by Mr. Yarrell (British Birds, ii. 637), that a minute description of its 

 plumage is hardly necessary. The feathers on the top of the head are dark brown, 

 edged with a lighter tint : space around the eye a plain buff" colour. The feathers on 

 the back dark brown with light edges : the neck, throat and breast, buff" colour tinged 

 with brown ; the under parts, thighs and flanks white, patched in places with buff*. 

 The under surface of the secondaries and of the inner web of the primaries, mottled in 

 the way peculiar to the species. Legs and toes reddish brown. The bird had been 

 observed for two or three days on the same piece of mud, in company with a ruff" and 

 a greenshank, the latter of which birds was killed at the same time with it. The sex 

 was unnoticed. — William R. Fisher; Great Yarmouth, September 28, 1843. 



Note on the occurrence of the Dusky Sandpiper in Cornwall. I have to report the 

 capture, within the last month, of four examples of the dusky sandpiper, in the state 

 of plumage answering to the description of the spotted redshank of our early authors, 



