NOTES AND QUERIES. 351 



Snowy Owl (Nyctea scandiaca) in Ireland. — A male bird in second 

 year's plumage was shot at Belmullett, Co. Mayo, on July 21st. This 

 is a very unusual time for this species to visit Ireland. Several 

 specimens have been shot during the last ten years in Co. Mayo, but 

 usually in the months of October and December. This specimen was 

 in fat condition, but had nothing in stomach. — W. J. Williams 

 (2, Dame Street, Dublin). 



Eggs of Razorbill (Alca torda). — I believe it is generally under- 

 stood among ornithologists and oologists that by holding a Razorbill's 

 egg up to the light the membrane inside the shell appears of a greenish 

 colour. I have often heard this stated by oologists, and have seen the 

 same statement in various books relating to birds and their eggs — for 

 instance, in Mr. Howard Saunders' ' Manual ' ; but on investigating 

 the matter the other day, I find the membrane or skin inside clearly- 

 blown Razorbills' eggs is as white as that of Guillemots' or domestic 

 hens' eggs and most other kind of birds' eggs. I quite agree that by 

 looking through the shell of a Razorbill's egg held up to the light 

 (whether a white or brown specimen) one can distinctly see it has a 

 greenish colour, but I have come to the conclusion that the green 

 colour is in the composition of the shell itself, and not in the 

 membrane. I think genuine eggs of the Razorbill always show green 

 when looking through the blow-hole towards the light, and those 

 said to have a white or creamish-white colour are not Razorbills' but 

 Guillemots' eggs. Sometimes certain varieties of Guillemots' and 

 Razorbills' eggs resemble each other to a remarkable extent, so much 

 so that it is difficult to determine to which species they belong by a 

 superficial or cursory examination. — E. G. Potter (Bootham Crescent, 

 York). 



Notes on the Little Grebe (Podicipes fluviatilis). — Some of Mr. 

 Dalgliesh's statements respecting this Grebe [ante, pp. 282-284) are 

 so opposed to one's ideas of the bird's habits as to suggest that his 

 experience has been altogether exceptional ; whilst his opinion that 

 it is incapable of walking or resting on its feet is not warranted. 

 The eggs are generally said to vary in number from four to six 

 [vide Yarrell, Saunders, and Sharpe). My own experience is tbat 

 five or six are more usual than four ; but surely three eggs seldom 

 constitute' a full clutch, as stated by Mr. Dalgliesh. It must be 

 borne in mind that with the Dabchick, as with the Great Crested 

 Grebe, a considerable interval elapses between the deposition of 

 each egg, and that the birds begin to sit before the full complement 

 is laid. The eggs, in consequence, are incubated in varying degrees, 



