314 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



A. E. Peake, M.B.; by some eleven labourers; and by, I think, a few 

 visitors who happened to be at the excavations at the moment. On 

 August 2nd it was seen near Pheasants' Hill, also in Hambleden 

 parish, but on the opposite {i.e. N.E.) side of the village, by a 

 son of Mr. Louis Deane, who, unfortunately, was soon after- 

 wards taken with a serious illness, which eventually terminated 

 fatally, without my obtaining further details. Two or three days later 

 Mr. Deane himself saw the bird in the same direction, and " was 

 within eight or ten yards of it, and it flew broadside of " him. I 

 am absolutely sure of the bird's identity, and it is a species for 

 which nothing else is likely to be mistaken. Independently of the 

 undoubted size, the croaking at once puts the Barn-Owl out of 

 court, which seems the only bird which could under any possible 

 circumstances be taken for it. Especially having regard to the 

 time of year, it seems very much more likely that the bird was an 

 escape from an aviary than a visitor under more natural conditions, 

 but I failed to hear of any such loss ; neither, so far as I am aware, 

 was the bird reported from any other parish either before or after 

 its sojourn in this one. A Snowy Owl seen flying at a little distance 

 generally appears very white, so that although this bird looked white 

 enough for an adult male, I cannot speak with certainty on this 

 point. — Alfred Heneage Cocks (Poynetts, Skirmett, near Henley- 

 on-Thames). 



Early Autumnal Movements of Sandpipers, Ring-Plover, etc., in 

 Bedfordshire. — Whilst walking around the Bedford Sewage Earm 

 at Newnham, on July 15th last, the following species were observed : 

 four Common Sandpiper, two Green Sandpiper, one adult and 

 one young Eing-Plover, a " wisp " of six Snipe, and three Bed- 

 shank, the latter being probably local breeding birds that nest in 

 this locality. The occurrences of the three first-named birds are the 

 earliest autumnal records I have of these species for that county. 



The Common Sandpiper (Totanus hypoleucus) break their 

 migratory journeys in the spring and autumn quite commonly, 

 appearing generally at the latter end of April and early May ; but 

 I have records as early as April 7th, 1894, Cardington, and April 

 13th, 1903, Biggleswade, and as late as June 6th, 1903, Great Barford, 

 June 8th, 1896, Turvey ; their return migration taking place generally 

 during August or early September, early records other than the present 

 year being July 16th, 1905, Bletsoe, and July 24th, 1908, Cardington ; 

 and as late as September 13th, 1853, Biggleswade, and September 15th, 

 1902, Newnham, 



