NOTES AND QUERIES. 147 



for many years it was almost entirely absent ; about a dozen were 

 killed on one shooting, and undoubtedly the Shoveler has been more 

 frequent for the last few winters than it was previously, and I should 

 not be surprised if a few pairs remain in the vicinity the whole year, 

 although from personal observation I cannot establish the fact of the 

 nest having been found. Several Gadwall, a few Pintail, Golden-eye, 

 and Tufted Duck, all in various stages of immaturity, were met with, 

 and one almost mature male Goosander was killed at the old spot, 

 where for years it had disappeared, but was formerly an annual visitor 

 in some numbers. Several Bittern were seen, but I am glad to say I 

 know of but one being shot. A somewhat curious incident occurred at 

 one of the shootings ; a Mallard, at a considerable height, had been 

 shot, and in its fall collided with a Coot that was on the wing, and, 

 breaking the Coot's back, killed it at once. Whilst on the subject of 

 wildfowl, I may note that a most unusual number of Woodcock visited 

 the neighbourhood of the woods and heaths of the vicinity, and I 

 should suppose record "bags" must have been made on several of the 

 shootings situated in favourable localities. I was informed that two 

 guns secured twenty Woodcock in one day, and, my informant added, 

 " and ought to have been double that number." I understand that 

 this much esteemed bird was also unusually abundant in the forest, but 

 I have no means of ascertaining the sport experienced ; let us hope 

 more birds than usual will remain to nest in that locality. Is there 

 not a grain of superstition — appertaining to good or ill luck — in the 

 habit of some sportsmen cutting off this bird's legs, or is it merely to 

 withdraw the tendons from the " Woodcock's thigh," that limb so dear 

 to the epicure's palate ? Also, what is the supposed reason that some 

 Dogs will not retrieve a Woodcock, although they will hunt and 

 "flush" it. Is it a peculiar scent the bird has? A sporting friend 

 of mine once had a valuable Dog that would retrieve almost anything, 

 but on two separate occasions it quite refused to touch a Green Sand- 

 piper (Totanus ochrojms), and any person who has handled that pretty 

 little species must have detected the peculiar smell it has. — G. B. 

 Corbin (Ringwood, Hants). 



Notes on the Ornithology of Richmond Park, Surrey. — 



Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) . — On Feb. 26th saw three — one in 

 the Sidmouth Plantation, and two hunting for prey in the vicinity 

 of the Penn Ponds. 



Tawny Owl (Syrnium aluco). — Numerous. 



Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus). — Fairly numerous in the summer months. 



Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopus major). — Very rarely 

 seen; have only two records — one on May 19th, 1904, near Robin 



