Birds, 



6377 



Great Snipe (Scolopax major). In November, 1858, I saw a fine example of this 

 bird, in the flesh, killed by a gentleman residing near Plymouth. 



Alpine Accentor (Accentor alpinus). On December 20th, 1858, I observed a pair 

 of these rare birds on the cliffs near Plymouth, but unfortunately had no gun wilh 

 me. They were very tame, and allowed a near approach, but although I was at 

 the spot in less than an hour afterwards, with my gun, they were not to be found. I 

 have since searched the coast daily, but without the least success. The day before 

 they appeared we had a most tremendous thunder-storm (a very rare thing in 

 December), and I fear the constant severe gales we have since experienced must have 

 driven them inland. Their actions, when hopping about on the grass on the top of 

 the cliff, were very like those of the common hedgesparrow, but on being disturbed 

 they immediately flew to the rocks below. Their note resembled the syllables, " tree, 

 tree, tree," as described by the Rev. F. O. Morris in his ' British Birds.' On Monday, 

 January 10, I had the good fortune to shoot them after a search of three weeks : I 

 examined the stomach of one, which I found to be very muscular, and contained 

 gravel, fine sand and seeds, but no insects. The only other Devonshire specimen of 

 this bird I ever saw was sent from Teignmouth to Plymouth to be stuffed, together 

 with a fine old male black redstart (Phcenicura Tilhys). It appears that these birds 

 frequent the same localities, for the place where I saw the alpine accentors was an 

 excellent one for the black redstart. 



Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia). On December 24th, 1858, I saw a fine white 

 spoonbill that was killed about a fortnight before, on the St. Germain's River, by Mr. 

 H. Spencer, of St. Germains. It was stuffed by Mr. Percy, of Plymouth, for the 

 Earl of St. Germains. 



Little Gull (Lurus minutus). A few days since Mr. Bolitho, bird-stuffer, of Ply- 

 mouth, had a beautiful specimen of the little gull to stuff for a gentleman living near 

 Plymouth : it was killed in the neighbourhood. 



Gray Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus). Some of these birds have been killed at 

 Plymouth during the past autumn ; they are generally considered rare, but a few may 

 be seen every autumn in Plymouth Sound during the equinoctial gales : their actions 

 at such times are very elegant ; they alight just outside the breakers, where the froth 

 and sea-weed have accumulated, swim with extraordinary activity and lightness, con- 

 stantly whisking their bodies round, and incessantly nodding their heads and dipping 

 their bills in the water, in search of food. So tame and fearless are they at these times 

 that I have actually seen them give a little spring and flutter only when fired at and 

 missed, and immediately go on feeding as if nothing had happened. The stomachs 

 of those I have examiued contained the remains of insects and what appeared like 

 small particles of coal. I have never seen these birds on the land, but a friend of mine 

 tells me that he once saw two, during a heavy gale, come in from the sea and alight 

 on the mud banks of the river, and run about just like sandpipers. In 1846 an extra- 

 ordinary flight of gray phalaropes visited Plymouth and the neighbouring coasts : they 

 remained about three weeks, and in such numbers were they that I saw a sailor with 

 an old rusty musket literally filling his pockets with them : on my asking what he 

 intended to do wilh so many, he coolly told me that they made capital pies. It seems 

 strange that the red-necked phalarope (Phalaropus hyperboreus) should be comparatively 

 so rare, considering it breeds in Scotland ; for, among the great number of phalaropes 

 I examined when they were so plentiful, and at other times, not one of the rednecked 

 XVII. K 



