198 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



in the Natural History Museum from Stewart Island, apparently 

 distinct from any of those recognized by Hutton. — W. F. Kirby. 



Notes from South-west Hants. — In this neighbourhood the summer 

 of 1909 will be long remembered as a very disappointing period in the 

 pursuit of natural history objects, especially entomological ; and the 

 winter following was none the less uncertain from an ornithological 

 point of view. The cold nights in July were very much against the 

 success of the moth collector, and most of the generally common 

 species of butterflies were restricted in numbers, except perhaps the 

 two whites — P. brassiccB and P. rapce — the larvae of which were all 

 too common upon the cabbage tribe, entirely destroying the crop in 

 some localities. Again, the past winter has been somewhat abnormal 

 both in weather and temperature ; Bats abroad in January, Blackbird 

 singing, and eggs and young Thrushes in February are not of frequent 

 occurrence even in our uncertain climate. Beferring to the spring of 

 1909, we find the Swifts put in an appearance in very strong force 

 and unusually early, but later in the season scores perished with the 

 cold. Other members of the Swallow tribe were not so abundant as 

 usual, but a comparatively good number of the Nightjars were to be 

 seen and heard of an evening, and I am glad to say at the same time 

 the welcome "crake" of the Land-Bail was occasionally detected; 

 although once so common, this strange note had been very scarce, if 

 not entirely wanting hereabouts, of late years. Of the other summer 

 visitors, a fair sprinkling occurred — all except the Nightingale, whose 

 notes were much more scarce than usual ; some three summers ago 

 the birds sang and might have nested in some of the gardens close to 

 Bingwobd. Early in June the migrating Hobby was not rare : I 

 knew of three being slaughtered within a fortnight, and possibly a 

 pair nested in a certain wood, as they frequented the same locality 

 throughout the summer, and yet I did not hear of any following the 

 Swallows, as they often do in their autumn migration. That the 

 Shoveler also bred in the valley of the Avon I have no doubt, as the 

 description of Ducks occasionally brought to me during the summer 

 could apply to none other than the male Shoveler, and as a more con- 

 clusive proof quite young birds were seen by one of the river keepers, 

 who also saw young Teal upon the water. Of course, it is not the 

 first time either species has nested in the locality, but it is interesting 

 to know they still do so, if rarely. The Bedshank still continues to 

 visit us, perhaps in increasing numbers, and nests in localities where 

 a few years ago it was a stranger, its eggs being often sold as those 



