NOTES AND QUERIES. 77 



over this western district — only a few sleety storms and rain, and 

 only one degree of frost on one night — a little flock of four Snow 

 Geese were seen by Mr. Claud Kirkwood, flying over Bartragh Island. 

 They appeared coming from the north, and, having passed over the 

 island, pitched on the sands (the tide being out) about half a mile 

 away, and, after resting for some time, rose and flew up the estuary 

 and river, evidently heading for Lough Cullen. They were easily 

 recognized as Snow Geese by their snow-white plumage and black- 

 tipped wings. During the great snowstorm we had here on Dec. 26th, 

 27th, 28th, 29th, and 30th, 1906, fourteen Snow Geese visitecL Bar- 

 tragh, and were seen by Capt. Kirkwood on the 30th feeding near his 

 stables on the sands. There were four adults perfectly white, and 

 ten greyish birds, evidently immature. — Kobert Warren (Moy View, 

 Ballina). 



Smew (Mergus albellus) in Middlesex. — Among the Coots and 

 Diving Ducks at Ruislip Eeservoir on Jan. 24th was an immature 

 Smew. Although it swam lower in the water than the Pochards and 

 Tufted Ducks it looked but little smaller than they, and, judged by its 

 size, appeared to be a male. — Charles Oldham (Watford). 



Black Grouse, $ (Tetrao tetrix). — Shot on the Ince Estate in 

 November or December of 1888. This date is taken from a receipt 

 for preserving the specimen, and additionally confirmed by Mrs. Park 

 Yates, the donor of this interesting addition to the local collections in 

 the Museum. * — Alfred Newstead (Grosvenor Museum, Chester). 



Mr. T. A. Coward writes : — "The Black Grouse breeds annually 

 on the south-eastern border of Cheshire from Bosley to Whaley 

 Bridge. In the neighbourhood of Ince, Frodsham, and Delamere 

 Forest the bird was formerly common, but has been extinct for some 

 years. At one time, within the memory of old men, the Black Grouse 

 bred in the Forest, and a few years ago Lord Delamere attempted to 

 restock a portion of the Forest, but the attempt failed. This was 

 since 1885 — I think about 1900 — and Black Grouse were thought all 

 to have vanished long before 1885." 



Red-throated Diver (Colymbus septentrionalis) in Hertfordshire. — 



On Jan. 10th, at Wilstone Eeservoir, Tring, I watched a Eed-throated 

 Diver for some time ; its slender, slightly upturned bill and speckled 

 back were quite apparent at close quarters. I cannot find any 

 previous record for this species in Hertfordshire. — Charles Oldham 

 (Watford). 



' : ' There is a female in the Museum collections from Broughton Gardens, 

 Chester, Nov. 21st, 1892. 



