28 THE 4ZOOLOGIST. 
of course depended upon the time of year, for they are only 
to be seen in numbers like this either directly on their arrival 
in spring or preparatory to their departure in autumn. 
Water-Ratitn (Rallus aquaticus).—An uncommon winter visitor. 
I have established proof of four specimens, but probably others 
have occurred. One, a male, shot on Nov. 12th, 1895, near 
Tynemouth; a second, of the same sex, a remarkably plump 
bird, caught by my fox terrier ‘‘Tiney’”’ at Briar Dene on 
Jan. 4th, 1906; a third,- shot at St. Mary’s Island by a Mr. 
Watts during stormy weather in the autumn of 1907; the 
fourth and last was picked up at the same time as the second, 
near Cullercoats Station; it was lying beneath the telegraph- 
wires, against which it had killed itself. 
Moor-HEN (Gallinula chloropus).—A fairly common resident. 
It breeds at Whitley, Briar, and Holywell Denes. 
Coot (Fulica atra)—A very occasional visitant in winter. 
Mr. W. G. Monk, sometime lightkeeper on the island, informs 
me that during his stay there, which was between 1898 and 1905, 
he caught two Coots on the lighthouse. They had probably 
been driven to the coast by hard weather and the freezing of 
ponds and marshes inland. Another was shot in about 1904 at 
St. Mary’s, and was set up by Mr. Richardson ; the last record 
is of one shot at Whitley Bay in December, 1910. 
DottEREL (Endromias morinellus).— One was shot in the 
fields at Cullercoats in 1896. 
(To be continued.) 
