24 . THE ZOOLOGIST. 



Goldfinches are becoming much commoner in North Devon, 

 according to my observation of the past eight months. This 

 evening I saw a caged Peregrine, which had been found in 

 almost a dying condition beside a dead Pigeon, which it evidently 

 had been tearing abroad. On examination, the feathers of the 

 Pigeon (a worthless Homer) were discovered to be smeared with 

 poison. No doubt it was sent up by a Pigeon-fancier, in hopes 

 of getting rid of some of his winged vermin ; but this victim was 

 found in time, and has completely recovered. I hope to induce 

 its owner to release it. Buzzards can be seen in the woods near 

 Ilfracombe, Lynton, Barnstaple, and along the sea-cliffs at Baggy 

 Point, Hele, and Combe Martin. 



31st. — Watched a brood of Sheld-Ducks. They were about 

 the size of Little Grebes or smaller, white, brownish black on 

 the head, and dull brown blotches on the body, with the chest 

 white, and bill lead-colour. They dive with ease, much to the 

 discomfort of the attentive hen-bird. When under water they 

 only use their feet, the wings being kept close in to the body ; 

 the legs and feet are worked forwards and backwards, reaching 

 far out beyond the extremity of the tail in the backward motion. 

 To an observer watching their movements when diving, these 

 little birds present a weird appearance. They look perhaps 

 more like Hippocampi, or Sea-Horses, than anything else, or 

 like huge Frogs. As soon as they reach the surface they 

 become, as if by magic, transformed into little Sheld-Ducks 

 again. 



June 4th. — At Croyde Bay picked up a fresh specimen of the 

 Manx Shearwater, washed in by the tide. The colony of 

 Herring-Gulls at Baggy Point is in a very thriving condition, 

 and large numbers of Gulls are now nesting there. We noticed 

 also a pair of Lesser Black-backs on the cliffs with a nest and 

 three eggs, which the hen-bird was brooding. Apparently the 

 eggs of the Lesser Black-back and those of the Herring-Gull are 

 exactly similar. 



9th — Pted-backed Shrike with six young birds in a thorn-bush 

 at Braunton. 



July 18th.— Golden-crested Wren sitting on five fresh eggs in 

 a larch-tree. 



August 22nd. — Visited Lundy Island. Puffins have gone, 



