476 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



lines from bottom), for "pink chocolate" read "pale chocolate." — 

 (G. B. C.) 



Little Owl at Henley. — I do not know what may be thought of the 

 status of the Little Owl [Athene noctua) as a migrant, but I saw one 

 to-day (Nov. 7th), shot yesterday at AVyfold Court, near Henley, Oxon. 

 I do not think it is mentioned in Mr. Aplin's ' Birds of Oxfordshire.' — 

 G. W. Bradshaw (54, London Street, Beading). 



Circus' cineraceus in Northamptonshire. — A Montagu's Harrier in 

 the plumage of the first year was shot at Whittlebury, near Towcester, 

 about the middle of April, 1901, and came into my possession some 

 months later. I am inclined to think it is a female. The late Lord 

 Lilford only mentions (' Birds of Northamptonshire ') one instance of 

 the occurrence of this species in the county. — 0. Y. Aplin (Bloxham, 

 Oxon). 



Peregrine Falcon in Berkshire. — On Nov. 2nd last, a very fine adult 

 Peregrine Falcon [Falco pcregrimifi) was shot at Aston Upthorne, near 

 Wallingford, Berks, while being mobbed by Books. It was brought to 

 me in the flesh. — G. W. Beadshaw (54, London Street, Reading). 



The Ringed-necked Duck as a British Bird. — I cannot understand 

 why the Einged-necked or Collared Duck should, by almost universal 

 custom, be excluded from the number of accidental visitors on the list 

 of British Birds. Donovan, in his ' Natural History of British Birds ' 

 (vol. vi. 1809), states that a specimen occurred to him in the month of 

 January, 1801, among a number of wildfowl exposed for sale in 

 Leadenhall Market. It was a male, and was supposed to have been 

 taken in the fens of Lincolnshire. More than one species {e. g. the 

 American Wigeon) has been admitted into the British list on claims no 

 stronger than this. We may safely assume that a hundred years ago 

 no wildfowl came imported for the table into the London market from 

 the other side of the Atlantic. There can be no question about the 

 bird having been correctly identified, for we have Donovan's coloured 

 plate (No. 147) of this handsome Duck to refer to. The Ringed-necked 

 Duck was at that date not merely a new British bird, but altogether 

 undescribed. Donovan was accordingly the original describer of this 

 species, and the name he then bestowed upon it still stands. Fulignla 

 collaris (Donovan) is its name in the new Hand-List of Birds. This 

 Duck, therefore, like Botaurus lentiginosiis, is an American species first 

 described from an example which had accidentally occurred in Europe. 

 The Ringed-necked Duck has a wide distribution, and ranges, accord- 

 ing to Dr. Elliot (' The Wildfowl of North America '), over the whole 



