NOTES AND QUERIES. 469 
last September, I know, in addition to the three already recorded by 
him, of two others being obtained. One was shot near Beccles and 
the other a few miles north of Great Yarmouth. Both of these birds 
were of the dark form, and are now in the possession of Messrs. W. 
Lowne and E. Saunders, local taxidermists. On Nov. 9th I received, 
in the flesh, an example of the Merlin (Falco @salon), which was shot 
on Breydon walls. It was a male in fine adult plumage. This 
species is here seldom obtained in this plumage.— B. Dvr (Great 
Yarmouth). 
Rough-legged Buzzard (Buteo lagopus) in Lincolnshire.—About 
Noy. Ist last a specimen of the Rough-legged Buzzard was obtained 
at Skegness, on the Lincolnshire coast. The bird is in the hands of 
a Lincoln taxidermist. This species is at times a somewhat numerous 
autumn immigrant to the east coast of Great Britain ——F. L. Buaya- 
waytT (Lincoln). 
Interesting Ducks in Notts. — A pair of Pochard remained on the 
lake at Thoresby all the spring and summer; I myself saw them in 
March, May, and August. They most probably nested, but this fine 
lake (ninety-two acres) is full of Pike, some over thirty pounds, so 
young ducks, especially the diving ones, have little chance of attaining 
maturity. On March 21st, when fishing on the same piece of water, 
I saw four Scaup. On May 2nd I could only “spot” three—probably 
one was sitting—and again on August 14th I saw two females. 
Mr. Forrest, of Shrewsbury, was with me in May, and the Rev. B. E. 
Aplin in August. The birds were by themselves, and no mistake as 
to their identity was made. I also saw a solitary male Goosander there 
in March, May, and August; there were as many as twenty on it in 
February. On Noy. 2nd, when shooting Ducks on Rainworth Water, 
I shot an immature Common Scoter, a rare bird so far inland—over 
forty-five miles to nearest sea. —J. WHITAKER (Rainworth Lodge, 
Notts). 
Golden-eye in Somersetshire.—It may be of interest to state that 
an immature male Golden-eye (Clangula glaucion) was shot on the 
river at Lymington, near Yeovil, on Oct. 31st. — Gorpon DaLGuiEsn 
(Brook, Witley, Surrey). 
Retention of Summer Dress by Great Crested Grebe.—Referring 
to Mr. Aplin’s article on the above (ante, p. 407), the following may 
be of interest :—Mr. E. C. Stuart Baker, a well-known Indian orni- 
thologist, wrote to me some little time ago that ‘‘ Podicipes cristatus 
is quite common in Assam, and these birds retazn their breeding 
