NOTES AND QUERIES. 238 



Tufted Duck {Fuligula cristata). — I saw a young female of this 

 species hanging up in the market in January. 



Pochard (F. ferina). — I saw a fine male preserved by Mr. Jago, and 

 he informed me they are not at all common here. 



Smew (Mergus albellus). — I saw, hanging up in the town market, 

 two immature specimens which had been shot off the coast. 



Wood-Pigeon {Columba palumbus). — This species is very rare here. 

 I have myself only seen it twice. 



Water-Rail (Rallas aquaticus). — I saw one specimen at Les Quar- 

 ters feeding beside a drain during March. 



Moorhen (Gallinula chlorojms). — Only a winter visitor. I saw several 

 exhibited for sale in the town market during December. 



Woodcock (Scolopax rusticola). — I noticed one or two for sale in the 

 market during the last winter. 



Great Northern Diver [Colijmbus glacialis). — Mr. Jago informs me 

 he has had several to preserve this last winter. 



Red-throated Diver (C. septentrionalis). — I saw one in December, 

 1902, quite close to the pier. — Gordon Dalgliesh (Clairval, Collings 

 Road, Guernsey). 



BIBLIOGRAPHY. 



In a quotation attributed to Dr. Radde on " Anser rubrirostris," 

 Mr. F. Coburn ("On the Specific Validity of Anser rubrirostris," &c, 

 ante, p. 49) states that " the bill [of this Goose] commences with a 

 sharply defined crescentic-shaped band of bright scarlet lake," adding 

 that this is " confirmed by Dr. Radde, cf. Dr. B. Sharpe's ' Handb. Brit. 

 Birds,' ii. p. 229." This is a good example of these citations, copied 

 by one writer from the other without being verified. Even in the 

 ' Catalogue of Birds in the British Museum,' vol. xxvii. pp. 91, 92, the 

 colour of the bill of A. rubrirostris is described (as by Mr. Coburn) on 

 the authority of the late Dr. Radde (' Reis. Sibir.' p. 358). But the 

 citation is wrong. Dr. Radde says (' Reisen im Siiden von Ost- 

 Sibirien,' &c, Band ii. ; ' Die Festlands-ornis des siidostlichen Sibi- 

 riens,' St. Petersburg, 1863, 4to, p. 358) : — " Auch an diesem Vogel 

 sehe ich um die Oberschnabelbasis einen recht eclatanten rostbraunen 

 Ton sich verbreiten, der auf einem schmalen, vielfach von weissen 

 Federchen durchsetztem Bande, welches die Schnabelbasis einfasst, zu 

 brennendem Fuchsroth gesteigert wird. Ausserdem war der ganze 

 Schnabel dieses Vogels schmutzig weiss." Quite clearly Dr. Radde 

 means here the colour of the feathers about the beak, not of the skin 

 of the beak itself (which was " dirty white throughout "). Dr. Radde 

 begins by " auch " (also), because on pages 354, 355 he made some- 

 Zool. 4th ser. vol. VII., June, 1903. t 



