NOTES AND QUERIES. 313 



it was believed that Solans hatched there, but no correct evidence 

 could be gathered now as the men are dead who lived there 

 then." About 1907 or 1908 a pair of Solans lived about the cliffs for 

 a short time during the nesting season, and a fisherman (passing 

 there) told my correspondent he believed they were building. But 

 nothing came of it, as no egg or young was seen. In fact, the birds 

 disappeared before they had time to bring out a young one. My 

 original informant is only able to repeat that it was stated at the 

 time that one pair were nesting in 1911, though he does not seem 

 clear as to whether it was on Copinsay or the Horse of Copinsay. 

 Pie adds that it would have been very unlikely if the pair had got off 

 its egg, as Copinsay is the only place in Orkney where the eggs of 

 sea-birds are taken in large quantities. Here I must leave it; but it 

 seems probable that about that year, at all events, a pair of Gannets 

 contemplated nesting there, if they did not actually do so. — 0. V. 

 Aplin. , 



Snowy Owl in Bucks. — Intending to give the bird three or four 

 weeks' law before making its presence known, I have inadvertently 

 neglected to publish the occurrence for as many years. As, 

 however, a visit from the species is rare throughout England, 

 and unique so far as this county (Bucks) is concerned, a record of 

 the fact is better late than never. On the afternoon of July 31st, 

 1912, while excavating a large and prolific Bomano-British " Villa " 

 on Yewden Manor in this parish (Hambleden), on Lord Hambleden's 

 Greenlands estate, upwards of 400 yards north of Hambleden lock 

 on the Thames, I overheard one of the labourers calling his mate's 

 attention to a large white Owl sitting in one of a row of sycamore 

 trees in the hedge dividing the field we were working in from the 

 road running northwards. Hardly had he spoken, before, with 

 characteristic plunge, followed by throw-up into the air, a Snowy 

 Owl flew out, and came in our direction. As it approached it began 

 to croak hoarsely (well described by Dresser, ' Manual of Pal. 

 Birds,' as "a loud krau-krau "), and presently wavering in its 

 choice of direction, it " trod air," and then turned round ; but 

 shortly deciding on its old course, it once more turned round, and 

 again proceeded westwards, passing me at a distance I estimated 

 at less than 80 yards. It continued to fly straight in that direction 

 until I lost sight of it over and behind a group of large trees 

 surrounding a pond known as "The Baths," which I believe to be 

 of Boman origin or development, a quarter of a mile from the spot 

 where I was standing. It was also seen by my overseer, Dr. 



Zool. 4th ser., vol, XX., August, 1916. bb 



