NOTES AND QUERIES. 277 



sometimes close over the camp, sometimes a few yards away on the 

 road in front of it, according as they were directed," &c,* 



Can some of our military readers support these statements from 

 their own experience ? or have others met with similar records in their 

 readings ? — W. L. Distant. 



Ornithological Notes from Guernsey. — Since writing on the Birds 

 of Guernsey (ante, p. 231), I have added the following notes : — 



Black- theoated Diver (Colymbus arcticus). — On May 10th I obtained 

 an immature male of this species, picked up dead on the beach near 

 Cobo. It was in very poor condition, and had evidently died of starva- 

 tion. This is an interesting record, as the species has only once been 

 recorded before from Guernsey. 



Puffin (Fratercula arctica). — On May 31st I visited some rocks off 

 Herm, known as the "Humps," and found the Puffins breeding there 

 in thousands. The soft ground was fairly riddled with their holes. 

 No young birds were found, but only highly incubated eggs. Besides 

 Puffins there were Bazorbills, Guillemots, Stormy Petrels, and Her- 

 ring-Gulls, all breeding. 



Sandwich Teen (Sterna cantiaca). — I have found this species fairly 

 plentiful here, and I know places where it breeds. 



Kentish Plover [Mgialitis cantiana). — This bird, if not common, is 

 found in some numbers on several parts of the coast, and I know where 

 it breeds. — Goedon Dalgliesh (Clairval, Collings Road, Guernsey). 



Sea-birds inland. — During the months from early autumn to late 

 spring it is well known that various coast-loving birds — especially the 

 Gull family — often frequent inland waters, or even fallow-fields and 

 ploughman's furrows, want of food, storm, and tempest driving them 

 from their favourite haunts by the sea, and doubtless the rough cold 

 weather of April, May, and the first half of June, together with the 

 continued rains and consequent floods, account for the unusual number 

 of such species as have appeared amongst us this season, the Black- 

 headed Gull (Laras ridibimdus) having been particularly abundant. 

 Very few people in this neighbourhood — even those in the habit of 

 carrying a gun — were acquainted with the species in its nesting-dress, 

 and their occurrence has excited considerable interest and many 

 inquiries as to their origin and purpose here. It is pleasant to know 

 that of late years the species has showed a decided increase in num- 

 bers, and with this consideration their occurrence perhaps is not 

 remarkable, as I understand a colony of the birds exists at no greater 



* ' Naval Brigades in the South African War, 1899-1900,' pp. 212-13. 



