Birds. 



6537 



Gould at a meeting of the Zoological Society of London. Mr. Bartlett was then 

 present, and expressed himself perfectly satisfied that they were the same species, to 

 which he had given the name of Fuligula ferinoides. This fact was the more inte- 

 resting, inasmuch as no female of this new duck had till then been met with. Whether 

 " F. ferinoides " is or is not " a good species,'' or merely a hybrid, as originally sup- 

 posed, is still a debateable question with ornithologists, the pros and cons of which 

 might occupy much time and space. Heir Badeker is evidently convinced that it is 

 entitled to specific distinction (as F. Homeyeri), and I believe Mr. J. H. Gurney, the 

 fortunate possessor of the two Norfolk specimens, has arrived at the same conclusion. 

 T have described this last specimen as an adult male, and I think, from the rich 

 colouring and well-defined markings of its plumage,! am right in so doing ; but although 

 in other respects it agrees with the description given of Mr. Doubleday's bird, there is 

 no approach to "jet black" either on the neck or breast, but the latter has somewhat 

 of a purple gloss with a few indistinct dark lines along the tips of the feathers. — 

 H. Stevenson ; Nonvich, April, 1859. 



Note on the Occurrence of the Dartford Warbler in Norfolk. — A young male of this 

 species was caught, by a dog, in a furze-bush on Yarmouth Denes, on the 25th of 

 February. This bird was sent to a birdstuffer in this city, together with a stoat killed 

 at the same time, and was intended to be placed in the mouth of the " varmint," when 

 fortunately it was recognised as a rarity. I am aware of but one other specimen of 

 this warbler having been met with in this county, which was also obtained on Yar- 

 mouth Denes some years ago. — Id. 



Occurrence of the Little Crake and Schintz Sandpiper at Hastings. — A beautiful 

 male specimen of the little crake (Gallinula pusilla) was caught near this town on 

 Friday, the 15th, and brought to me alive: It was discovered on the bank of a small 

 stream near the sea. I have set up the bird, and it is now in my collection. I do not 

 know whether the capture of a Schintz sandpiper (Tringa Schintzii), in this neigh- 

 bourhood, on the 8th of October, 1857, has been brought under your notice ; if not, the 

 following particulars may be interesting to some of your readers. The Schintz sand- 

 piper was in company with a rednecked phalarope {Phalaropus hgperboreus), the latter 

 swimming, and the Schintz sandpiper wading in a flooded meadow, about two-hundred 

 yards from the sea, ahd directly opposite to the village of Bexhill, Sussex. They were 

 not at all shy, and permitted me to approach them within easy gun shot, and to watch 

 their motions for several minutes, when seizing a favourable opportunity I fired and 

 killed them both ; they both proved to be male birds. I set them both up, and the 

 Schintz sandpiper is now in the possession of J. H. Gurney, Esq., M.P., of Catton 

 Hall, Norfolk. I find neither Mr. Yarrell nor Mr. Morris mentions more than one 

 instance of the Schintz sandpiper hav ing been taken in this country, and that in Shrop- 

 shire, and is in the collection of Sir Rowland Hill. — Robert Kent ; St. Leonards-on-Sea, 

 Sussex, April 20, 1 859. 



Occurrence of live Toads underneath a Bed of Clay — In the early part of this month, 

 two live toads were dug out from the bottom of a bed of stiff brick clay, in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Bridgwater, at the depth of fourteen feet from the surface of the ground ; 

 a third was killed by the spade before they were observed. This bed of clay rests on 

 peat, and the loads were found at the junction of the two beds, in a small domed 



xvii. 2g 



