354 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



nails missing, which would render it recognisable if met with any- 

 where. I have a good many of these birds on deposit at the Calcutta 

 Zoological Gardens, and hope to have them forwarded shortly. Should 

 it prove possible to liberate them on arrival, I will of course notify 

 the fact of my having done so. — Frank Finn (c/o Zoological Society, 

 3, Hanover Square). 



Habits of Alcedo ispida. — While fishing on the old river Kennet, 

 at Theale, about five miles from Reading, on Aug. 7th, I had the 

 pleasure of seeing a Kingfisher going in and out of its hole to feed its 

 young ; but the point of my writing is to mention that each time it 

 came out it dived immediately into the stream, and then flew away. 

 My only explanation of its conduct is that its plumage was more or less 

 soiled from the dirty state of the passage to the nest, in which there 

 were four young nearly ready to fly. — George W. Bradshaw (Reading). 



An unrecorded Kite obtained in Huntingdonshire. — Recently I 

 have been able to examine a Kite {Milvus ictinus) that, I am informed, 

 was killed by a Mr. Ullet, of Higney Grange, near Holme, and given 

 to a relation of his, a Mr. Norman, then living at Blunham Mill, in 

 the adjoining county, Bedfordshire. At the back of the case it states : 

 " Preserved by I. Wright, of Kimbolton." It was most probably 

 stuffed in 1836, as at the back of the case a portion of newspaper is 

 affixed bearing this date. — J. Steele-Elliott (Clent, Worcestershire). 



Variety of the Shag. — A curious variety of Phalacrocorax graculus 

 has been shot on Arran Island, Co. Galway, and sent to us for mount- 

 ing. Instead of the ordinary dark green plumage of the back and 

 wing-coverts, this specimen is pale buff-colour, shading into almost 

 white at the extremity of the wing-coverts ; back, tail, throat, and 

 breast, beak, feet, and bare space around eyes ochreous brown ; irides 

 pale bluish grey. The bird was a female, and in excellent condition. 

 Williams & Son (2 Dame Street, Dublin). 



The Little Bittern in Cornwall. — On June 30th last a Little 

 Bittern {Ar delta minuta), with a broken leg, was taken in a public 

 resort at Lostwithiel, Cornwall, known as •' The Parade," after being 

 seen about the same spot for some days. It was iii a very weak con- 

 dition, and efforts to revive it having failed, the bird was preserved by 

 a local taxidermist named Higgs, and very well set up. The sex was 

 not noted by him, but the black crown, nape, and back indicate an 

 adult male. The river Fowey encircles a great part of " The Parade," 

 and is bordered by a good deal of marsh-land. The railway runs 

 close to the river, many water-birds being maimed by flying against 



