NOTES AND QUERIES. 31 



with the species, when a single bird was observed among some tall 

 bushes growing near a mill-pond at Oxted. A week later two birds (I 

 think a pair) were noticed on the North Downs, near Woldingham. 

 These autumn migrants were quite as wild as the bird seen near Chart 

 in the spring, but those on the downs I was able to watch through a 

 glass for a considerable time, owing to the open nature of the country 

 they were frequenting. Very rarely did any of these Ring-Ouzels turn 

 the white breast-band towards me when they alighted, as if aware of 

 its conspicuous appearance. I agree with Mr. Mouritz that this Thrush 

 is a very rare visitor to Surrey, for, although I have rambled about a 

 good deal in different parts of the county, until last year I had never 

 met with the species. Although I have watched carefully for the bird 

 during the present year (1906), I am unable to record a single instance 

 of its appearance. — C. H. Bentham ("Keymer," East Hill Road, Oxted, 

 Surrey). 



Chaffinches, Greenfinches, and Yellowhammers. — With reference to 

 Mr. Robert Warren's interesting account of the " Disappearance of 

 many of our Home-bred Birds in Autumn" (Zool. 1906, p. 459), I 

 have for some years observed the disappearance in autumn — generally 

 about the latter part of September— of local-bred Chaffinches, Green- 

 finches, and Yellowhammers in this part of Northumberland, to be 

 followed later by an influx of otbers, evidently of a more northern race. 

 I have also noticed that during the winter months there are far more 

 male Chaffinches to be seen than females, and I believe it was owing 

 to this that Linnseus named it ccelebs, or "bachelor finch." About the 

 latter part of October we often have large flocks of Greenfinches, but 

 they soon disappear, or become dispersed. — J. S. T. Walton (Sunni- 

 side, Stocksfield-on-Tyne). 



Arctic Redpoll (Linota hornemanni) in Midlothian. — On Dec. 29th, 

 1906, I had a brief but clear glimpse of an Arctic Redpoll as it flew 

 northward over a clearing on a wooded hill near Edinburgh. The 

 lower parts were white, the flanks unstriped, and the upper parts, when 

 they came into view, had a greyish white appearance. The occurrence 

 of this representative of an arctic species, coupled with the unusual 

 arrival of some Mealy Redpolls at the same place, after a period of 

 northerly gales and severe snowstorms, is not without significance. — 

 J. M. Dewar (24, Lauriston Place, Edinburgh). 



Short-eared Owl in Staffordshire. — Authentic records of the Short- 

 eared Owl in Staffordshire are few. Mr. E. Brown says (1863), 

 <■ Many killed m the Burton district at beginning of winter" (' Nat. 



