140 KIOI'OIITS. 



Bullfinch. On INIay 21 Mr. Frank Wright observed u pair of these birds 

 at Fort I)ii.v, ont; of them carrying something in its beak, as if building 

 a nest. It is to be hoped they were not mok>sted, as there is no record of 

 Bullfinches breeding in these islands. Possibl}^ they do so, as I was 

 informed that nests had been found this year both at the Vale and at the 

 Catel ; but the eggs should be produced in order to remove all doubt. 



Raven. A specimen shot in Herm early in IMarch by Mr. Leicester Gore 

 Avas joresented by him to the Guille-Alles INIuseum, and has been added 

 to the collection. Ravens are not nearly so rare in Guernsey as is 

 commonly supposed, and in Herm they are even more numerous. 



Rook. At one of our Society's meetings last year, Mr. Derrick drew 

 attention to the rapid increase of Rooks in Guernsey. A colony 

 first established itself at the Vaubelets about the year 1880, and in 

 1884 he counted 37 birds. They were driven from their old quarters 

 in 1903, and have now established three separate rookeries, one at 

 Les Bordages, near St. Saviour's Church, one at Le Vallon, near 

 Moulin Huet, and one at the Vauquiedor, with outliers at Belmont 

 and JNIelrose. Less than thirty years ago ]\Ir. Cecil Smith stated that he 

 had "never seen a Rook in the islands even as a stranger," and now one 

 of the three rookeries, the Vallon one, numbers quite 150 birds. 



Wpyneek. First heard by Mr. Rowswell on April 3, and by me on April 5, 

 but reported on reliable authority to have been noted at St. Saviom-'s 

 as early as March 29. Last heard by Mr. Rowswell on July 11 at 

 Moulin Huet, and by myself on July 12 at the Vale. 



Cuekoo. First heard on April 21st and 23rd, but for some time after that 

 Cuckoos were scarce, or at any rate silent, owing to unusually cold 

 weather and bitter northeast winds. The latest date I noted for the 

 Cuckoo's song this year was June 30, and ]Mr. Rowswell also records 

 the same date, but the Rev. R. H. Tourtel tells me he heard one singing 

 at St. Peter's on the evening of July 1, the only time he has ever heard 

 a cuckoo's note in July. 



KingfisheP. These beautiful birds are becoming more and more scarce 

 each year. On February 15 I saw one flying across Moulin Huet Bay, 

 and Mr. Barry saw another, also at INIoulin Huet, on Aug. 2. 



Nightjar. Mr. Lamotte told me that oa May 21 he heard a Nightjar 

 churring at the Hubits soon after daybreak. I saw one at L'Eree nearly 

 opposite Lihou Island on Sept. 22, and another at Saints' Bay on Oct. 4. 



Swift. I saw a solitary Swift hawking about the cliffs above Fermain 

 Bay on May 3, and two days later I counted half a dozen flying about in 

 Fermain Valley. Mr. Rowswell reports that the little party that 

 annually frequent the tower of the ToAvn Church, and probably breed 

 there, made their appearance on May 14. Swifts remained with us 

 unusually late this year, owing to the prolonged summer. They were 

 still in full numbers on August 22, when I saw some all over St. j\tartin's 

 and counted 10 or 12 on the wing at once near Petit Bot. I saw 

 none afterwards, but Mr. Rowswell noted two at Petit Port on Sept. 2 

 and a single one at Les Blanches as late as Sept 7. 



Swallows. The earliest observed were on April 10 when Mr. Rowswell saw 

 several at Petit Port, but did not see any House Martins until May 8. 

 I saw a single House Martin on April 17 flying about with a few 

 Swallows, and again two of the latter on the 24th, but the season was 

 dry and cold, with a prevalence of north-easterly winds, so that these 

 birds did not arrive in their ordinary numbers until much later than 

 usual. On the other hand they took their departure early. Up to 

 October 16 they remained in full strength, and then soon after dis- 

 appeared almost entirely, so that very few stragglers were seen. Mr. 

 Rowswell notes that two were perched on the telegraph wires at Les 

 Blanches on Oct. 24, and on the 27th he saw the last, flying rapidly 

 southwards. 



